The [Pittsburgh Pirates](/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-pirates) are in a complicated situation. The team, which occupies the last place in its division, has made drastic decisions, including the dismissal of its manager. However, there is an untouchable figure: the star pitcher Paul Skenes.
Skenes: Outside of Negotiations
When asked if they would consider negotiating with the current National League Rookie of the Year, general manager Ben Cherington was blunt. “No, it’s not part of the conversation at all,” he stated.
Pittsburgh, which was already 11 games out of the playoffs before a series against the Milwaukee Brewers, has struggled, especially due to an offense that ranks in the bottom places in several important categories, including runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. In addition, they have scored four runs or less in 26 consecutive games, tying a Major League record.
This situation contrasts with the team’s expectations during spring training. Both Cherington and Skenes, and manager Derek Shelton, who was replaced by Don Kelly two weeks ago, had spoken about the need for Pittsburgh to take a step forward after consecutive 76-86 seasons.
Despite Skenes’ performance, the team has struggled. In his eight starts, Pittsburgh has a 3-5 record. Skenes, who will turn 23 next week, has been a mainstay for the Pirates since he was called up to the team a year ago. Furthermore, he is under team control for the rest of the decade and will not be eligible for arbitration until after 2026, making him a valuable asset for the team.
Although Pittsburgh has secured key players like Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes with long-term contracts, these deals are modest compared to what Skenes could be worth in the future. The Pirates are known for their financial prudence, with a season-opening payroll of just under $88 million, one of the lowest in the majors.
Despite this, Pittsburgh has not obtained the expected return on its investment. Although the bullpen has struggled, the starting rotation has been solid. Skenes, Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, and Bailey Falter have ERAs below 4.00, but their combined record is 11-21.
The main problem has been an unproductive offensive alignment, with few outstanding players besides Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, and Oneil Cruz.
Despite having a large number of pitching prospects, the situation is different regarding position players developed at home. Henry Davis, the first overall pick of the 2021 draft, is still developing. Nick Gonzales, chosen in the first round in 2020, is recovering from an injury and has not yet established himself as a starter. First-round picks Termarr Johnson (2022) and Konnor Griffin (2024) are still several years away from reaching the majors.
So far, the call-ups from Triple-A have been mostly due to injuries, not performance.
We want Triple-A players to knock on the door hard. That would be good. I still believe that can happen this year. We want more of that over time. Everyone knows we have to score more runs. That won’t happen just by saying it and hoping. You have to work to achieve it.
Ben Cherington
Cherington remains hopeful that the team will improve in the remaining games and is confident that Skenes will be part of the team’s future.
We have to get better. Let’s play better baseball, and that will lead us to win more games. Then, let’s wake up and see where that takes us when we get to July.
Ben Cherington
