Paul Skenes is one of the best players in baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were fortunate enough to draft Paul Skenes with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
The ace from LSU made a statement last season, winning NL Rookie of the Year honors and starting off strong for what could be a long and fruitful career.
However, Bleacher Report writer Zachary D. Rymer is concerned for Skenes’ prospects in Pittsburgh considering how the Pirates have dealt with star players in the past.
Watch them waste Paul Skenes in real time!
If Skenes isn’t the best pitcher in MLB, he might at least be the most magnetic. Dude was the No. 1 pick in 2023 and had a record-breaking Rookie of the Year in 2024.
Pirates fans should be darn glad to have Skenes, because it’s not as if there are a ton of other reasons to tune in these days. Even Skenes couldn’t keep the Bucs out of last place in 2024, and this winter has been yet another exercise in rank cheapness.
The 22-year-old Skenes will be eligible for arbitration in 2027. Since that is when he will start getting expensive, it’s also worth circling as a general timeframe for when his name could start appearing in trade rumors.
The Pirates have to make some adjustments with Skenes in the fold, but if they can do that and treat him right, he could call Pittsburgh his home for the rest of his career.
BD community, what do you think of Skenes’ long-term future in Pittsburgh? Chime off in the comments section below.