Skenes can become a free agent following the 2029 season. The Pirates traded then-ace Gerrit Cole to the Astros in January 2018, two years before the future AL Cy Young winner hit free agency.

Trade Paul Skenes? The Pittsburgh Pirates should build around Paul Skenes. But they punted on an opportunity to do that last offseason, and the chances of owner Bob Nutting splurging this offseason are about as good as his team’s current playoff odds: 0.3 percent.

There has been rampant speculation that the spiraling Pirates might be better off trading the best young pitcher in MLB for a haul of prospects to boost their offense.