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Aug 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) reacts after pitching he fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates' Paul Skenes 2026 Salary Revealed

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 6:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes heads into his second full MLB season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and will make far less than what he's worth.

Skenes will earn a salary of $1.085 million in 2026, according to Ethan Hullihen, which marks his third and final season of pre-arbitration, where most MLB teams pay their players near the minimum, $780,000. The Pirates paid him higher than the minimum in 2025 as well, at $875,000.

While making $1.085 million is still low for the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, it is the highest-ever pre-arbitration salary, according to Ethan Hullihen. Two other players that made at least $1 million in pre-arbitration include Mike Trout, $1 million in 2014, plus Kris Bryant, $1.05 million in 2017.

This marks the last season that the Pirates can pay him this little, before he enters arbitration and could make record amounts.

How Skenes Could Make More Money in 2026

Skenes doesn't have to just settle for the salary he's making this season, as he can add some more money on top of it.

He made an extra $2.5 million last season for winning the NL Cy Young Award, plus $936,343 from the Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool, making a record $3,436,343 in 2025.

This money doesn't come from the Pirates, as The Office of the Commissioner central funds this pre-arbitration bonus pool, brought in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in 2022.

$38.75 million is set aside by a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) formula, where the $936,343 number comes from. The final $11.25 million is reserved for players winning or placing high in awards voting, such as the Cy Young, MVP, All-MLB First and Second Team, plus the Rookie of the Year Awards, which is where the $2.5 million comes from.

Skenes made an extra $1.5 million in 2024 for winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award, $652,057 from the WAR forumla, for $2,152,057 total in the Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool, then $564,946 for his time on the active roster, making his MLB debut in May.

The 23-year old should get a chance to make a bit more in 2026 and could get as high as $4 million of he pitches like he's does the past two years.

Along with his record $9.2 million signing bonus he got from the Pirates when they took him first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes has made $16,228,346 in his MLB career.

What Skenes' Future Earnings Look Like

Skenes enters his first of three arbitration years at the end of this season, pending how the next CBA goes with it ending on Dec. 1.

This means that each offseason, he and his team will present a salary and then the Pirates will put up a figure they seem reasonable for them.

If the two parties agree to a contract, then that will be the salary for Skenes that season, but if they don't agree, they'll go to an arbitration panel that will listen to both sides and decided which figure makes the most sense.

The Pirates could buy these years of arbitration out with a long contract extension, but that is highly unlikely to happen.

Skenes could set records with his arbitration, with 2025 American League Cy Young Award winner in Detroit Tigers left-handed starting pitcher Tarik Skubal winning his arbitration case and making a record $32.5 million this season, marking his final year of arbitration.

How much he ends up making could impact his long-term future with the Pirates over the next few seasons.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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