Report suggests Paul Skenes wants to be a New York Yankee

The LSU product dazzled in 2025, posting a 10-10 record, a 1.97 ERA and a whopping 216 strikeouts, making him the favorite for the National League Cy Young Award.

The Yankees should hold out for Paul Skenes

All of the talk leading up to the trade deadline was that the Yankees were only willing to deal their prospects for one player, and that was Skenes. Infielder George Lombard Jr., right-hander Carlos Lagrange and outfielder Spencer Jones, all top-five Yankees prospects, have potential, but are they untouchable? They shouldn't be, given the possibility that Skenes hits the market. 

That can frustrate fans, as the team somewhat sits on its hands, waiting for the possibility that he leaves Pittsburgh. However, when you step back, it’s the right way to proceed, because this is a generational talent that rarely becomes available.

Skenes' 1.96 ERA through his first 55 career MLB starts is the lowest since 1913 for that number of starts, and at 23, he's only going to improve. Whether the Yankees need to wait a year, two, or three, it’s worth it. Skenes is a top-three pitcher right now and will almost certainly be the best pitcher in baseball soon.

If the reports are accurate and Skenes wants to be a Yankee, then they have all the leverage, so there’s no need to rush or overspend in a deal. If they let things unfold naturally, there’s a good chance the 6-foot-6, 260-pound flamethrower will eventually wear the pinstripes.

If and when Skenes becomes available, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and the rest of the front office should be prepared to do whatever it takes to bring him to the Bronx. Skenes is undoubtedly the type of player who could help deliver a World Series title to New York for the first time since 2009.