MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Yankees

Chicago Cubs receive bad news on Pirates for pitcher trade

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated May 21, 2025 12:25 PM ET

On Tuesday, Chicago Cubs president Jed Hoyer confirmed the team would be in the market for pitching help this summer. However, he said the Cubs would not execute a trade until at least the middle to late part of June.

Chicago is dealing with significant pitching injuries this season.

Shota Imanaga (hamstring) and Porter Hodge (oblique) are on the IL. Starting pitcher Justin Steele is gone for the year as he recovers from an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

One potential trade option that has been brought up for the Cubs appears to no longer be on the table.

The Chicago Cubs receive disappointing news on a pitcher

MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Yankees

Per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network, the Pittsburgh Pirates have no intentions of trading Paul Skenes this season.

“Pirates source: Paul Skenes is not getting traded. ‘No chance, no way, no how,’ is the way I heard it,” Heyman posted on X. “While there’s a bit of logic to such a scenario, superstars just aren’t traded by anyone with 1 year service time and the Pirates remain determined to build around Skenes.”

Pirates source: Paul Skenes is not getting traded. “No chance, no way, no how,” is the way I heard it. While there’s a bit of logic to such a scenario, superstars just aren’t traded by anyone with 1 year service time and the Pirates remain determined to build around Skenes.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 21, 2025

Paul Skenes has been a bright spot on a bad Pirates’ team

MLB: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates May 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Imagesn

The Pirates have every reason to be sellers at the deadline. Pittsburgh has a 16-33 record and his 13 games back from the Cubs for first place in the NL Central.

Skenes has been a bright spot on the Pirates this season. The 22-year-old ace has posted a 2.44 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched (10 games played).

It appears the Cubs will continue to face Skenes in the division for years to come instead of the right-handed starter helping Chicago make a postseason run. Even if the Cubs were unable to land Skenes, one less pitcher in the trade market makes any price Chicago pays for one go up.

The Cubs will continue to monitor elsewhere for pitching help.

MLB: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates May 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) and catcher Henry Davis (32) make their way in from the bullpen to play the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Imagesn

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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