Due to the fact that Paul Skenes is on the Pittsburgh Pirates, the thought of him being traded is because of how disappointing Pittsburgh has been. Although the idea is a bit improbable because of how good Skenes is, it’s still fun to bring up the idea. Today, that team is the St. Louis Cardinals.
This idea was brought up in an article by Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report. While the ideas were supposed to be wild, Miller explains why he brought up the Cardinals.
Miller explains that, “Surely they would be reluctant to give up this many arms, as they would need someone to pitch in 2026 aside from Skenes and Sonny Gray. To get four years (with the first one costing less than $1 million in pre-arbitration, no less) of arguably the best pitcher in baseball, though, it might be worth it.”
As for the Pirates, it’s really not a bad idea to trade away Skenes, although many would disagree. For a team that hasn’t won more than 80 games since 2018, getting a collection of players could be beneficial.
This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT.
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Pittsburgh Pirates Trading Paul Skenes to the St. Louis Cardinals
Now with Skenes, the Pirates would need an absolute haul to trade him away. Skenes is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, depending on how you view Tarik Skubal.
The thing with Skubal is that he’s 29 years old. Skenes, on the other hand, is only 23 years old. Here’s the mock trade that Miller created.
“Pittsburgh Pirates send RHP Paul Skenes to St. Louis Cardinals for IF JJ Wetherholt, LHP Matthew Liberatore, RHP Michael McGreevy, LHP Liam Doyle and C Leonardo Bernal”
It’s a strong haul for the Pirates, but it still may not be enough. Even if it’s the right move for this organization, you have to think about what it could mean for the fans.
Pirates fans would be devastated if they traded their star pitcher, and having Skenes on their roster allows them to sell tickets. Instead, the more likely route would be for the Pirates to try to build around Skenes despite their need for more talent.
Does Paul Skenes Fit with the St. Louis Cardinals?
In terms of fit, Skenes fits with every team in the MLB. Skenes would be perfect for a contender or rebuilder due to how good he is at just 23 years old.
As long as the team looking to trade for Skenes has somewhat of a bright future, it makes sense. The Cardinals won 78 games last year, and although they’re not an elite team, they’re on the cusp of making it back to the playoffs.
Compared to the Pirates, the Cardinals have been a much better team over the past few years. The Cardinals won at least 80 games just last year. Not only that, but the Cardinals won 90 games back in 2022.
Overall, the Cardinals have a solid roster, and making a splash move by trading for Skenes could be the move that puts them back into the playoffs.
Paul Skenes Contract
The last crucial part of whether Skenes could be traded is how his contract looks. According to Spotrac, Skenes becomes a free agent in 2030.
All things considered, the most likely scenario is that the Pirates will just keep Paul Skenes because of the other factors that play a role. However, if the Pirates do decide to trade Skenes, the St. Louis Cardinals could be a strong fit.