Fans have been pushing the Pirates for a while to make better use of Paul Skenes, as the team might waste a generational talent if they don’t build around him. Still, when rumors suddenly popped up linking him to the Yankees, it caught everyone off guard.

Remember last week, when NJ.com’s Randy Miller quoted an anonymous Pirates player? He claimed Skenes had talked about wanting to play in the Bronx? “Trust me, he wants to play for the Yankees. I’ve heard him say it multiple times,” the player said. That comment blew up fast, sparking speculation that the Pirates might be keeping Skenes somewhere he doesn’t actually want to be.

Now, Skenes himself has stepped in to clear things up. He addressed what really happened and how he feels about the idea of leaving Pittsburgh…

“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 episode on the Dan Patrick Show. “It is what it is. There’s stuff that’s gonna come out, good and bad. Obviously, it’s not true.”

So despite a 100-loss season, Skenes sounds genuinely committed. He will do whatever it takes to help bring the Pirates back to their former glory. But the big question still hangs in the air… What’s actually stopping him from jumping to a team that wins more consistently?

Technically, he’s under team control through 2029 on his rookie contract. And given how quickly he’s become one of the league’s best arms, it’s natural for people to wonder whether he might eventually try to force a move. The Pirates’ payroll situation doesn’t help either.

They’re 29th in MLB, per FanGraphs, and not precisely known for opening the checkbook.

Still, Skenes won’t even be arbitration-eligible until 2027. And ESPN’s Jeff Passan has already reported that he’s “not going anywhere” this offseason. “I think the hardest part of leaving the Air Force for me was, you know, we had just won a conference championship, the first one in the school’s history… And it felt like there was unfinished, you know, work that needed to be done,” Skenes further added.

That seems to be his mindset now, too. He clearly feels there’s unfinished business in Pittsburgh, and he doesn’t plan on leaving until he brings a championship to the Pirates.

The Pirates look like started to hear Paul Skenes

It’s late, but the Pirates are reportedly building a roster around Skenes this time.

Well, this offseason is shaping up to be the biggest one the Pirates have faced in years.

As Paul Skenes is heading into his final season before arbitration, Pittsburgh is suddenly manifesting one of the most exciting young rotations in baseball.

Reportedly, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand even named them a potential surprise spender. He noted that they could pour anywhere from $30–40 million into upgrades this winter.

With free agency looking like a real option for once, can they actually land someone on a multiyear deal?

History isn’t exactly on their side. For the unversed, the Pirates haven’t signed a hitter to a multiyear free-agent deal since John Jaso almost ten years ago. And the last time they gave anyone a multiyear free-agent contract was Ivan Nova back in December 2016.

But with players like Kyle Schwarber already being linked to Pittsburgh, it’s starting to feel like Skenes might actually get the lineup help he’s been hoping for ever since he arrived.