The cost of trading Paul Skenes: what would it take for the Pirates to deal their ace?
The speculation surrounding Paul Skenes has reached a peak as MLB's July 31 trade deadline approaches, yet the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to firmly shut the door on any deal involving their 23-year-old ace.Skenes has delivered yet another exceptional campaign in 2025. Through 20 starts, he owns a league-leading 2.01 ERA, has racked up 131 strikeouts in 121 innings, and maintains an elite 0.93 WHIP. Despite carrying a 5-8 record, he remains among the top pitching talents in the majors. His dominance has thrust him into the conversation for the National League Cy Young Award.In light of Pittsburgh's offensive woes and their standings near the bottom of the league, rumors of a trade seemed inevitable. Still, GM Ben Cherington has consistently maintained that moving Skenes is "not part of the conversation at all".Skenes himself dismissed the chatter back in May, calling […]