Everything the Pittsburgh Pirates are saying publicly indicates that they won't trade Paul Skenes.
But does that mean that the Los Angeles Dodgers shouldn't at least try to nab the fireballing superstar?
The 22-year-old starting pitcher (23 on Thursday) has been a top-five pitcher in Major League Baseball since his high-profile debut last May, and with four-and-a-half years left on his rookie contract, the hapless Pirates don't seem to be ready to pull the plug on his tenure.
However, one insider believes that behind the scenes, the Pirates might at least be willing to consider a deal. And he also believes the Dodgers have the prospect capital that could make a trade come to fruition.
On Wednesday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic concocted a Dodgers trade package for Skenes: catcher Dalton Rushing, outfielder Andy Pages, left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris, and right-handed pitcher Landon Knaack.
"The Dodgers could offer the Pirates a long-term answer at catcher (Rushing) and a solution for left field (Pages), improving their lineup for this season and years to come. Ferris, 21, isn’t ready for the majors yet, but has the stuff to become a top-of-the-rotation starter if his command and control improve," Bowden wrote.
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"Knack would slot into the Pirates’ rotation right away, effectively replacing Skenes. On the other side of the trade, the Dodgers’ postseason rotation, if healthy, could be Skenes, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow. Yikes!"
All four of the players in this proposal have high ceilings. But while Skenes looks like a borderline lock to be an All-Star for the next 10 years, barring injury, there's no guarantee that any of those Dodgers youngsters will ever achieve even one All-Star appearance.
And that's why even if Bowden's deal, or any number of other offers, might tempt the Pirates, they're unlikely to pull the trigger this early in Skenes' career.
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