Paul Skenes Celebrates Cy Young Victory Amid Trade Speculations

On the same day he celebrated his first career Cy Young Award, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes found himself in the midst of trade rumors linking him to the New York Yankees. After being named the 2025 NL Cy Young winner, Skenes addressed the media to refute claims made by an anonymous Pirates teammate who suggested that Skenes expressed a desire to join the Yankees.

In his statement, Skenes explained, "I got shown the tweet and got some texts about it. Didn't think much about it. I'm on the Pirates. My goal is to win with the Pirates." He further emphasized the challenge the team faces, saying, "The way that fans see us outside of Pittsburgh, we're 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."

The rumors began circulating earlier in the day when NJ.com's Randy Miller quoted the unidentified Pirates player who claimed, "Trust me, he wants to play for the Yankees. I've heard him say it multiple times." Despite the speculation, Skenes reiterated that he intends to focus on achieving success with the Pirates.

Adding to Skenes' commitment, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington affirmed, "Paul Skenes is going to be a Pirate in 2026," during the general manager meetings. While Skenes is not arbitration-eligible until 2027 and is projected to earn roughly $1 million next season, uncertainty remains about his long-term future with the team due to ownership's history of financial restraint.

Despite the Pirates finishing last in the NL Central with a 71-91 record in 2025, Skenes stood out as a star player. He led MLB with a remarkable 1.97 ERA and struck out 216 hitters in 187.2 innings across 32 starts, establishing himself as a must-watch talent on the mound.