URGENT UPDATE: The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially ruled out any trades involving Paul Skenes this offseason. General Manager Ben Cherington confirmed this at the General Managers meetings on Tuesday, putting to rest ongoing speculation that the young ace could be moved, which would have significantly impacted Major League Baseball.
Cherington emphasized that teams have consistently approached the Pirates about Skenes’ availability, but those inquiries are met with a firm response. “
Teams have to ask the question. I suspect that won’t end. But the answer’s been consistent,
” Cherington stated. This clarity comes as Skenes, just 23 years old, is recognized as one of the league’s top pitchers, leading the majors with an impressive 1.97 ERA over 187.2 innings in 32 starts during the 2025 season.
Despite Skenes’ stellar performance and being a front-runner for the NL Cy Young Award, the Pirates struggled, finishing the season with a 71-91 record, last in the National League Central for the second consecutive year. Cherington acknowledged that while trading Skenes could yield a substantial return, the Pirates see him as a crucial building block for the future as they aim for their first postseason appearance since 2015.
Looking ahead, Cherington indicated the Pirates will focus on enhancing their offense this winter. The team ranked last in the majors for runs scored and struggled with a poor wRC+ in 2025. Cherington noted, “
Run scoring was the thing that got in our way more than anything. And we’ve got to add to that.
”
With more payroll flexibility this offseason, the Pirates plan to target offensive talent to better support their strong pitching lineup, which also includes veteran Mitch Keller and up-and-coming prospect Bubba Chandler. Cherington added, “
We believe our pitching is a strength. Doesn’t mean we wouldn’t want to add more pitching. We will certainly be opportunistic on the pitching side.
”
As the offseason progresses, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how the Pirates navigate these challenges and whether they can build a competitive team around their ace, Paul Skenes. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
