The Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to build a contender around ace hurler Paul Skenes. Although Pittsburgh may still be a year or two away from realistically contending, the Pirates made a number of quality additions this past offseason. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna, second baseman Brandon Lowe and first baseman Ryan O’Hearn were among the team’s additions. And the Pirates boast baseball’s No. 1 prospect in shortstop Konnor Griffin, who may earn a spot on the Opening Day roster at the age of 19.
Skenes was impressed by the Pirates’ overall offseason, he recently said via MLB Network.
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“They did a really good job of building the roster this year,” Skenes said. “Made some good decisions, some hard decisions. It’s looking good for sure.”
Having Skenes on board with the team direction is obviously crucial. Keeping stars happy is especially important for any ball club. A few good moves won’t solve all of the Pirates’ concerns, but it is a step in the right direction.
Pirates Need to Win With Paul Skenes Before It’s Too Late
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30).© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
(© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
Skenes was mentioned in some trade rumors this past offseason. He obviously wasn’t moved, however. He is still under team control for four years, but the Pirates are a small-market team. Pittsburgh wants to prove to Skenes that the team can win. The Pirates, who last had a winning season in 2018 and last made the playoffs in 2015, finished 71-91 in 2025.
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If the Pirates fail to achieve their goal of contending, Skenes may not want to return to the ball club once he is eligible for free agency. As a result, the Pirates may end up left with no choice but to trade the ace.
Winning soon will be crucial as a result. The Pirates at least need to display the potential to compete this year. They cannot expect to keep a guy like Skenes around via a contract extension if winning is not the standard.
Skenes already has an argument for being referred to as baseball’s best pitcher. He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2024 and followed that up with a Cy Young Award in 2025. He has pitched to a career 1.96 ERA through his first two seasons in the big leagues. In 2025, he struck out 216 hitters in 187 2/3 innings.
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Sure, one can argue that Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers is MLB’s best pitcher. Skenes is not far behind, though. At only 23 years old, the sky’s the limit for the former No. 1 overall pick.
The only uncertainty in reference to Paul Skenes’ current situation is whether or not his team can win anytime soon. Only time will tell, but Pittsburgh knows it can count on its ace.
Related: Pirates’ Paul Skenes News Emerges Amid Spring Training
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.