The Los Angeles Dodgers have no shortage of superstars, especially in their preferred starting rotation. However, the team has shown it will continue to be aggressive in roster building.
A healthy Dodgers rotation features Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshibobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Rōki Sasaki and Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is nearing retirement, and injury concerns may have the Dodgers thinking about the future. There is no better pitcher in the National League than Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, and ESPN's David Schoenfield proposed this trade that would bring Skenes to Los Angeles:
- Pirates receive: C/OF Dalton Rushing, OF Josue De Paula, IF Alex Freeland, RHP Emmet Sheehan and LHP Jackson Ferris
- Dodgers receive: RHP Paul Skenes
The Pirates have made it clear they are not fielding offers on Paul Skenes. However, as some national media outlets have noted, they are not going to be able to afford him when he hits the open market and are not giving him any reason to sign an extension.
Skenes is the Cy Young Award favorite in the NL, is now a two-time All-Star and has an argument to be the best pitcher in baseball. The Pirates are far away from being contenders, at least on paper. Trading him now could yield them a haul bigger than the one the Washington Nationals got for Juan Soto.
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Skenes' stuff is as good as it gets, and he is not going to be a free agent until 2030. The Dodgers would be sending the Pirates multiple young, controllable players for them to build around. Schoenfield noted that the Pirates likely will not trade their ace, but there is a strong argument to be made for moving him while his value is at an all-time high.
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