Paul Skenes Backs Pirates as Pittsburgh Faces Dilemma

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Joey Mistretta | Last updated Feb 27, 2026 8:25 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to build a contender around Paul Skenes. Although Pittsburgh may still be a year or two away from realistically contending, the Pirates made a number of quality additions this past offseason. Marcell Ozuna, Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn were among the team's additions. Paul Skenes was impressed by the Pirates' overall offseason, something he recently said via MLB Network.

"They did a really good job of building the roster this year," Skenes said. "Made some good decisions, some hard decisions. It's looking good for sure."

Having Skenes on board with the team direction is obviously crucial. Keeping stars happy is especially important for any ball club. A few good moves won't solve all of the Pirates' concerns, but it is a step in the right direction.

Pirates Need to Win With Paul Skenes Before it's too Late

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Skenes was mentioned in some trade rumors this past offseason. He obviously wasn't moved, however. He is still under team control for years to come, but the Pirates are a small-market team. Pittsburgh wants to prove to Skenes that the team can win.

If the Pirates fail to achieve that goal, Skenes may not want to return to the ball club once he does enter free agency. As a result, the Pirates may end up left with no choice but to trade the ace.

Winning soon will be crucial as a result. The Pirates at least need to display the potential to compete this year. They cannot expect to keep a guy like Skenes around via a contract extension if winning is not the standard.

Skenes already has an argument for being referred to as the best pitcher in all of MLB. He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2024 and followed that up with a Cy Young in 2025. He has pitched to a career 1.96 ERA through his first two seasons in the big leagues. In 2025, he struck out 216 hitters.

Sure, one can argue that Tarik Skubal is MLB's best pitcher. Skenes is not far behind, though. At only 23 years old, the sky's the limit for the former No. 1 overall pick.

The only uncertainty in reference to Paul Skenes' current situation is whether or not his team can win anytime soon. Only time will tell, but Pittsburgh knows it can count on its ace.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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