Paul Skenes is one of the most untouchable players in the league for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the rising young stars in Major League Baseball in starting pitcher Paul Skenes.
Skenes, 22, could be the Pirates ace for a decade or longer if the team chooses to keep that way.
However, with the recent trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, many are wondering how many stars on teams are truly untouchable in the sports world.
CBS Sports writer Mike Axisa believes Skenes is one of the five most untouchable players in Major League Baseball.
You know, I almost didn’t list Skenes here. Squint your eyes enough and I could see how the Pirates trade him. Just not now. There is no chance they trade him now. Any trade would have to wait a few years, like Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen trades. Skenes took the sport by storm last year, going from No. 1 overall pick in 2023 to starting the All-Star Game in 2024, and winning Rookie of the Year and finishing third in the Cy Young voting. Even with Skenes, Pirates fans are not happy with the team right now. They want to see greater investment in the roster and better players brought in. Trade Skenes and forget it, there would be riots. Or perhaps indifference, which, in a way, is a lot worse.
The other players on the list were New York Yankees star Aaron Judge, Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Los Angeles Dodgers icon Shohei Ohtani.
Pirates fans hope Skenes isn’t the next example of Pittsburgh ownership getting cheap with its royalty, but the past hasn’t given the Buccos faithful enough faith that it wouldn’t happen down the line.
Perhaps an extension is in store, but for now, Pirates fans should enjoy Skenes while he is home.