The Pittsburgh Pirates face a tough decision about the future of pitcher Paul Skenes. He’s already one of the best arms in baseball, but his long-term outlook in Pittsburgh remains uncertain.
The main issue? The Pirates’ track record of not spending big. They consistently rank near the bottom in payroll, raising doubts about whether they’ll shell out to keep Skenes. That’s why trade rumors are starting to swirl—and a mock deal with the Boston Red Sox shows just how steep the price could be.
Red Sox Fans React to Overpay in Mock Paul Skenes Trade
Landing an ace like Skenes won’t come cheap. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported what some MLB execs had to say about a possible Skenes trade, and one American League executive floated a massive return from Boston.
“If they looked to trade him now, I think something like 1.5 times the [Juan] Soto deal would be a starting point,” the exec told Feinsand.
“The reality is that few teams have that many good players to trade. I guess the Red Sox could send [Triston] Casas, [Roman] Anthony, [Marcelo] Mayer, [Kristian] Campbell and [Tanner] Houck, assuming they won’t trade their extended guys. Writing that down makes me think, ‘Hmmm, maybe Pittsburgh should make a call.’”
But many fans believe there’s no way Boston would bite. Anthony is the No. 1 prospect in baseball, Mayer ranks eighth, and Campbell is flashing star potential in his rookie year. Even with Skenes’ upside, giving up three likely All-Star hitters feels like too much.
“There’s zero chance that offer would be made,” one fan said.
There’s zero chance that offer would be made
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik)
Another wrinkle: Campbell has already signed a long-term extension with the Red Sox. That could kill the Pirates’ interest and complicate things for Boston too.
I don’t think there is any chance the Sox part ways with KC. Everyone else is a candidate, but not him.
— Jason Barron (@TriangleLandUse)
Skenes, still just 23, has multiple years of team control left. He’s already a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, and any move to trade him could backfire with the fan base.
How about pirates pay real players instead of drafting 1 gem every 5 years
— Jay truth (@JasonStadtfeld)
Pirates Must Change Their Ways
To compete in today’s MLB, you have to spend. Big payroll teams are usually the ones in the playoff race, while the teams pinching pennies lag behind.
Right now, Mitch Keller is the Pirates’ highest-paid player at $15.41 million. Only he and Bryan Reynolds are making over $8 million this season. Their total payroll sits at $90.3 million, per Spotrac.
That’s not going to cut it against teams like the Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Padres. Unless the Pirates shift their spending habits, building a true World Series contender will stay out of reach.