Will Paul Skenes Be Traded to Yankees? MLB Insider Says 'He's Not Going Anywhere'

MLB insider Jeff Passan doesn't feel Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes is seriously considering pushing for a trade to a more competitive club.

"Nope," Passan wrote for ESPN about the possibility Skenes could be moved this offseason. "He's not going anywhere."

Passan's report was published a week after NJ.com's Randy Miller quoted an anonymous teammate saying Skenes wants to play for the New York Yankees, and that he is "hoping for a trade" before he hits free agency.

Skenes, who is currently under team control through 2029, was unanimously voted the 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner after leading MLB with a 1.97 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in his second pro season.

Despite getting another stellar season from one of the top aces in MLB, the Pirates remained one of the worst teams in MLB in 2025.

Skenes finished the season with a 10-10 record thanks to the Bucs' lack of run support, which saw the team contribute just 11 total runs across those 10 losses.

The star pitcher expressed his desire for the Pirates to work on building a more competitive team multiple time throughout the season.

Since the Pirates closed out their 71-91 campaign, however, both Skenes and the front office have denied there is any potential the pitcher could be moved this offseason.

When asked about the rumors after his Cy Young Award win was announced last Wednesday, Skenes told reporters he didn't "know where that came from" and "didn't think much about it."

"The goal is to win, and the goal is to win in Pittsburgh," Skenes said, per ESPN.

Skenes continued: "The way that fans see us outside of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh is not supposed to win. There are 29 fan bases that expect us to lose. I want to be a part of the 26 guys that change that."

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington had said during GM meetings in Las Vegas the night before that opposing teams have continued to ask about Skenes' trade availability, but that the club hasn't considered trading their star pitcher.

"It's always respectful. Teams have to ask the question, right?" Cherington said, per MLB.com's Brian Murphy. "I suspect that won't end. But the answer has been consistent... Paul Skenes is going to be a Pirate in 2026."

Skenes would likely bring in a historic trade haul should the Pirates decide to shop him, but giving up on the team's best player could also make it even more difficult for the franchise already ranked 26th in average attendance to get fans into PNC Park next season.

In that case, making sure Skenes remains on board with staying in Pittsburgh could take building a more competitive team in 2026.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported the Pirates plan to boost their payroll by between $30 and $40 million while becoming spenders in free agency for the first time in a decade. That could go a long way toward constructing a roster Skenes is excited to continue playing with as he heads into his third MLB season.