In just his second season in the league, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes secured his first Cy Young Award in 2025. Through 55 career starts, he's been a superstar, having a 1.95 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 21-13 record.
He's the face of the struggling Pirates' franchise, but what exactly does it mean to a franchise that's done nothing but lose for the past five years?
"It's tough. It's a huge adjustment," Skenes told Dan Patrick on his self-titled broadcast, The Dan Patrick Show. "It's tough to not show up to the field every day and be bitter sometimes."
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With all that said, what's really stopping Skenes from leaving for a team that can win more consistently? He's under team control through 2029 on his rookie deal, but given the level of success he's already shown, it's fair to wonder whether a move could eventually be forced.
Rumors have already spread on just this. Since the end of the 2025 season, reports have spread that an anonymous teammate of Skenes told MLB insider Randy Miller that he wants to play for the New York Yankees.
These rumors were discussed between Dan Patrick and the Pirates' ace.
"I was frustrated for a couple of hours and then, kind of, got over it. Obviously it's not true," Skenes said. "You can just be bitter at the world and pissed off, or you can fight to do what's right and make it right."
After the interview, it seems that Skenes is still committed to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite the loss, he's committed to doing whatever is necessary to get the franchise back to what it once was.
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