Why The Pirates Need To Trade Paul Skenes
🗑️ Wasting A Career
Stop me if you have heard this before. The Pittsburg Pirates stink. Continuing this trend for the last decade now, the Pirates are one of the bottom 3-5 teams in the MLB right now. The saddest part about that is they have a generational star that is being wasted away in the black and gold. Paul Skenes is not only the best pitcher in the sport, but also one of the best pitchers of the last 20 years. But how long can he put up with being the most dominate pitcher in the game and having no chance of winning? Skenes was called up early last season and posted a 11-3 record with a 1.96 ERA, started in the all-star game, and won Rookie Of The Year. The Pirates still finished last place in the division and were 10 games under .500.
So you would think that knowing you have an ace of this caliber you would try to have a big off-season and build a winning team around your young star. You would think. Only the Pirates do the opposite of that, because of course they do, and the future looks bleak in Pittsburg. Skenes is doing more of the same this year with a 2.05 ERA but only has a record of 4-6 because he is so good that he is always in long enough to get a decision, but his team is so bad he gets no run support to acquire wins. In two of his last four starts has gone 8 innings allowing 1 run and lost both games. The first time that has happened since Pedro in 2000 when Pedro was the greatest of all time and the Red Sox were trash. The only difference is the Red Sox built around Pedro with a monster lineup and spent money that Pittsburg just does not have and have never been willing to spend.
🤔 So Why Trade Such A Talent?
So, after telling you how amazing Skenes is why am I saying he should be traded? The Pirates need to trade Skenes because he is arguably the number one biggest trade piece in the entire league right now and would be able to get an absolute king’s ransom for him right now. You do not have to be a baseball fan to understand selling high to get the most in return. Let’s face it, they are not going to resign him to a long-term deal when his control is up, and he becomes a free agent. If they chose to wait until then he is going to cost an amount so absurd only four or five teams would have the pay roll to do so. Of course, the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, and the Mets will be the obvious suiters with a number that high which usually only they can get too.
It’s a spot we have seen a team be in a million times. They draft the stud but can’t keep him. So, what do you do before you lose him for nothing? You trade him. A real rebuild needs multiple young pieces to put together and try to build a team around for the next ten years. They need to find a team with a plethora of young players and even draft picks that they can hopefully turn into a winning team down the line.
🤝Possible Trade Partners?
So, if the Pirates decide to make this move, who should be their dance partner? Theres a few teams out there that have enough young talent to make things intriguing for the Pirates. It will be hard for them to get an equal value for a talent like Skenes but there are teams out there that can come close.
Of course, the Red Sox have the number one prospect in baseball Roman Anthony and a whole boat load of young talent, on rookie deals, that would sure seem enticing for a club like the Pirates
The Tigers are another team that have a slew of young talent including two young relivers in Hamm and Hall. The Tigers currently have the most wins in the MLB and have the best pitcher in the league in Skubal. Pairing them together would sure be scary for the league.
And you really can’t talk about trades in this league without mentioning the Dodgers having a chance to be in the mix. They somehow still have a lot of young talent and pieces to move. They have also proven price is no object and I’m sure a young kid like the 23-year-old Skenes looks at a team like that with money signs in his eyes.