LAS VEGAS — Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington made it clear on Tuesday that the team will not be trading ace pitcher Paul Skenes this offseason, putting an end to speculation about a potential shift in Major League Baseball’s dynamics. Cherington confirmed that he has received a number of inquiries from other teams regarding Skenes’ availability, but he emphasized that discussions have been brief and respectful.
“The question gets asked, and it’s always respectful,” Cherington stated during the MLB general managers meetings. “Teams have to ask the question. I suspect that won’t end. But the answer’s been consistent.”
Skenes, who is only 23 years old, has made a significant impact in just two seasons in the majors, establishing himself as one of the sport’s premier pitchers. He finished the recent season with a remarkable 1.97 ERA, leading the league in that statistic while accumulating 187⅔ innings across 32 starts. Despite his stellar performance, the Pirates struggled to build a competitive roster, finishing last in the National League Central for the second consecutive year with a record of 71-91. This was a decline from their previous season’s performance.
The Pirates view Skenes as a cornerstone for their future as they strive to make a postseason breakthrough for the first time since 2015. While trading him could potentially yield a substantial return, the organization is focused on enhancing its overall team strength rather than dismantling it.
Cherington mentioned that with increased payroll flexibility for this winter, the Pirates aim to address their offensive struggles, which saw them ranked last in the majors in runs scored and 29th in weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) for the 2025 season. Alongside Skenes, the rest of the projected starting rotation includes veteran Mitch Keller and top prospect Bubba Chandler.
“We believe our pitching is a strength,” Cherington noted. “Doesn’t mean we wouldn’t want to add more pitching. We will certainly be opportunistic on the pitching side. There are some things that we’d like to do on the pitching side, but run scoring was the thing that got in our way more than anything. And we’ve got to add to that.”
As the Pirates move forward, the commitment to Skenes as a crucial part of their rebuilding strategy reflects a hopeful outlook for a franchise intent on creating a competitive team in the coming seasons. With focused improvements on offense, there is optimism that the Pirates can develop their pitching talent into a winning formula.