Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes discussed his involvement in trade rumors linking him to the New York Yankees.
“I was frustrated for a couple of hours and then got over it and talked to the media later that night,” Skenes said during a Tuesday appearance on the Dan Patrick Show (1:45 mark). “It is what it is. There’s stuff that’s gonna come out, good and bad. Obviously it’s not true.”
On Wednesday, NJ.com’s Randy Miller quoted an anonymous Pirates player who was on the team over the past two seasons regarding Skenes’ desire to join the Yankees.
“Trust me, he wants to play for the Yankees,” the player told Miller. “I’ve heard him say it multiple times.”
Skenes later told the media that he “didn’t think too much” about the report.
His long-term future has been speculated on considering the Pirates’ lack of hefty financial commitments, as they rank No. 29 in payroll (via FanGraphs).
Still, Skenes isn’t arbitration-eligible until 2027, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirmed that he’s “not going anywhere” during the offseason.
The 23-year-old is coming off a stellar 2025 campaign, earning National League Cy Young Award honors. Skenes posted a 10-10 record in 32 starts, compiling a 1.97 ERA and 0.948 WHIP.
He also racked up strikeouts compared to just 42 walks across 187.2 innings of work.