For weeks now, the MLB rumor mill has been buzzing with speculation surrounding Paul Skenes. The rumors of a potential trade have gained momentum, with fans and insiders alike wondering where the electric right-hander might land. Well, the rumors are just spiraling without any dead ends! But as the chatter grows louder, the real question is beginning to shift. It’s not where Skenes could go, but when the Pirates are willing to move him at all.
With Skenes’ sky-high potential and dominant performances, finding a suitor wouldn’t be difficult. The demand is there. The spotlight is bright. But in the end, the decision rests solely with the Pirates and their vision for the future. Moreover, it is also a point whether the Pirates will have any profit by trading Skenes right now. Or if they should wait for Skenes to hit free agency in 2029.
Well, MLB insider Paul Zeise thinks otherwise.
“If someone is willing to give the Pirates a haul for Skenes, they should trade him when his value is high and before he, knock on wood, has any kind of arm issues. They could get a king’s ransom for him. I would suggest they do it for this reason and this reason only: They are starting over, or at least they should be. Trade him for a bunch of prospects, get rid of the veteran dead weight, get a new general manager, and start over.”
It surely sounds logical.
So, considering the Pirates’ current performance, it’s becoming increasingly clear that a full overhaul and rebuild might be the most viable path forward. As the team continues to struggle with consistency on both sides of the ball, they remain stuck near the bottom of the NL Central. But despite having a few promising young players and top prospects like Paul Skenes and Termarr Johnson, the existing roster lacks depth, experience.
So, the need of the moment is a strategic rebuild. One that involves trading valuable assets like David Bednar or even Ke’Bryan Hayes for future pieces. This is the only way left for the team that could help reset the foundation. However, the Pirates need money to go for an overhaul. The solution is Paul Skenes’ trade. As identified by Zeise, the current performance of Skenes can fetch huge money for the Pirates.
But will it be too risky for the Pirates to trade their top performer?
Skenes deserves a better team
More than what the Pirates are thinking about Skenes, it is what the pitcher is thinking. A pitcher with 53 SOs and a 2.63 ERA till now this year deserves a better team than the Pirates. Considering how the team is currently going and the lack of vision from the owners, the chances of the postseason for Skenes are grim.
As one of the most electric pitching prospects in recent memory, Skenes brings elite talent, competitiveness, and a marquee presence. But wasting his prime developmental years on a team stuck in rebuild mode does him a disservice. Absolutely!
Players like Skenes don’t come around often, and if the Pirates can’t build a legitimate contender around him soon, it is better to let him go and rebuild the team.
But which will be the most probable destination for Skenes?
Imagine him in the Dodgers! He’d join a rotation with Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ahh, that’s a dream environment for a pitcher looking to win early and often. Considering the deep pockets of the Dodgers, this dream might come true. Well, nothing concrete but speculations.
Nevertheless, Skenes is a generational talent, the kind who can alter a franchise’s future. Ideally, he deserves to move to a team with both championship ambition and a proven record of developing pitching could be best for his career.
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