As Paul Skenes drops his ERA to 1.91, his individual 5-8 record underscores the team’s glaring weakness—a National League-worst offense that has left the Pirates struggling at 42-62. As the trade deadline looms, the idea of trading the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, a generational talent signed through 2029, is gaining traction. Now, the front office has a big choice to make.
But with rumors circling, one voice stands out—veteran analyst Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His most recent piece doesn’t use clichés or safe phrases. It instead forces the issue: Pittsburgh may have to choose a course that upsets the fans, but perhaps save the team from future problems.
Zeise didn’t hold back, as he wrote, “The Pirates should give up. I am not saying the Pirates should dump Skenes for nothing, and maybe the proper time to trade him would be the offseason. But there is zero chance they will sign him to a long-term deal when he becomes a free agent, so he won’t be available to them when they are ready to start winning again.”
Continuing further, he added, “Skenes is the best pitcher in baseball and worth the price of admission on his own, but he isn’t going to be a part of the Pirates in 2028 and 2029. There is no reason not to at least see what teams are willing to give up for him.”
Jun 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Pirates’ front office, led by GM Ben Cherington, has been adamant that Skenes isn’t going anywhere. “No. It’s not at all part of the conversation,” Cherington said back in May. Even Skenes himself dismissed the chatter: “Anybody can play GM.” But with the team spiraling and owner Bob Nutting’s reluctance to spend big, the idea of trading Skenes isn’t really crazy.
When MLB insider Jim Bowden reported that multiple GMs are preparing “serious offers” for Skenes ahead of the July 31 deadline, it didn’t come out of nowhere. Even Jeff Passan of ESPN highlighted it, saying, “Pirates cannot secure Skenes long-term, they should consider a trade before losing him in free agency.”
Skenes, with four-plus years of control through 2029 and a bargain $875,000 salary, could fetch a package that transforms Pittsburgh’s barren farm system and major-league roster. Amid all this off-field chatter, Skenes’ dominance on the mound continues.
Paul Skenes continues to shine on the mound
The last time Skenes took the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates, on July 21, it was against the Detroit Tigers, and he put on a show again. From the very first pitch, he exuded confidence with his fastball consistently hitting the upper 90s, making opposing hitters look uncomfortable.
The crowd at PNC Park was buzzing and a growing murmur of excitement swelled into roars as he dispatched hitter after hitter, ultimately securing a dominant win for the Pirates. Despite a relatively modest pitch count of 86, Skenes still managed to toss six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and walking just one.
This win marked his first quality start since June 19th and his first victory since May 28th, bringing his season record to 5-8. As the trade deadline nears, nights like this only fuel the debate: Is Skenes the cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s future, or a golden ticket to rebuild with a blockbuster trade?
For now, he is just doing what he does best, painting masterpieces on the mound, even if the canvas around him keeps fraying.
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