Ben Cherington Silences Paul Skenes Trade Rumors: 'Not Part of the Conversation'
With the Pittsburgh Pirates continuing to dive into a downward spiral, rumors have surrounded superstar pitcher and reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes as he embarks on yet another strong season.
Baseball fans have salivated at the possibility of Skenes going to a contender and playing an ace-level role on a playoff team.
Advertisement
One National League executive, in a report by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, said that a Skenes trade would "likely be as significant a trade return as we've ever seen."
In a press briefing, however, Ben Cherington, the general manager of the Pirates, poured cold water on any rumors around their ace.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park.Kyle Ross - Imagn Images
"No. It's not at all part of the conversation," Cherington said, per MLB.com's Alex Stumpf, who reports on the Pirates.
Any rumors around Skenes, who has six controllable seasons ahead of him, seemed to always be a pipe dream.
Even despite any concrete evidence of any trade talks, Bleacher Report simulated trades for Skenes this year.
Advertisement
A trade to the beleaguered Baltimore Orioles revolved around Grayson Rodriguez, and a trade to the Boston Red Sox centered around No. 1 overall prospect Roman Anthony.
Despite the possibility that a Skenes trade could significantly bolster the Pirates' roster without necessarily beefing up their already emaciated payroll, the Pirates are clearly holding firm.
The Pirates seem to be playing a game where they refuse to surround Skenes with a competitive roster, but won't pony up the money to extend him, in what has to be one of the most frustrating strategies in recent history. One can only feel bad for Pirates fans.
Related: Yankees Announcer Rips Pirates for Failing Paul Skenes
Related: Blockbuster Paul Skenes Trade Takes 'Depressing' New Turn
Related: Paul Skenes Makes Huge WBC Announcement After Latest Loss
Ben Cherington Silences Paul Skenes Trade Rumors: 'Not Part of the Conversation' first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
15 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Top prospect Roman Anthony gets first career hit in second MLB game
BOSTON — Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, the top-rated prospect in all of baseball, hit a two-run double on Tuesday night in Boston's game against Tampa Bay for his first career base hit. A day after going hitless with an RBI groundout in his major league debut , Anthony came up with runners on second and third in the first inning and drove the ball to left to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. The 21-year-old second-round draft pick went viral over the weekend when he hit a 497-foot grand slam in Triple-A Worcester. He batted .288 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 58 games for the WooSox this season. Anthony's call-up on Monday was so sudden his parents didn't have time to make the trip from Florida, but they were at Fenway Park on Tuesday night to see his second game. ___ AP MLB:
Washington Post
30 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Entering sixth season, Dolphins' Tagovailoa focusing on avoiding injuries
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Entering his sixth season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is still trying to show he can stay healthy on a consistent basis. Tagovailoa missed six games last season because of two separate injuries and Miami finished 8-9, missing the postseason after playoff appearances the previous two years.
Associated Press
32 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Jordan Ott won't have an easy job rebuilding the Suns. The first-time NBA head coach says he's ready
PHOENIX (AP) — Jordan Ott's first NBA head coaching job comes with an expensive, underachieving roster, an increasingly hands-on owner who has promised to be more involved, and a grumpy fan base that has never experienced a championship since the franchise was established in the desert in 1968. Taking over the Phoenix Suns won't be easy. Ott wouldn't have it any other way. 'We're all aware of what we sign up for when we're an NBA basketball coach,' Ott said. 'I'm not here to look back, what's happened, I'm focused to move this thing forward. That's my sole energy.' The Suns introduced Ott on Tuesday at the team's practice facility, roughly a week after hiring the Cleveland Cavaliers assistant to take over for Mike Budenholzer, who was fired after one season and a disappointing 36-46 record. Ott will be the franchise's fourth coach in four seasons. First-year general manager Brian Gregory said he went through a deliberate interview process that took more than a month. Several candidates met with the Suns and the two finalists were Ott and fellow Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant. 'At the end of it, no question, clear choice, Jordan Ott stood out in every single stage of the process,' Gregory said. 'What we're bringing in today is a hungry assistant coach, who is now a head coach and spent 12 years in the NBA preparing for this day. 'His work ethic is beyond reproach.' It remains to be seen which Suns players Ott will actually be working with by the time training camp hits. Four-time All-Star Devin Booker — a franchise icon who has played in Phoenix all of his 10 seasons — seems to be the only untouchable player on the roster. It's expected that the Suns will try to trade veteran superstar Kevin Durant and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal this summer. The 36-year-old Durant should have plenty of suitors, but moving the oft-injured Beal, who is due more than $50 million in each of the next two seasons and would have to waive a no-trade clause, will be much tougher. Regardless, it might be several weeks before Ott knows his core group of players. 'Any good coach will build their system according to their personnel on both sides,' Ott said. 'There's a preferred style of play and you can still get it based on different personnel. But until the personnel is set, that's when you can really build it out.' Ott's resume is typical for that of an up-and-coming NBA coach and he's considered a great innovator, particularly on the offensive end. He's held a variety of roles over more than a decade in the league, including with the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and most recently the Cavaliers, who had a 64-18 record last season for the best record in the Eastern Conference. His teams have made the playoffs in 10 of his 12 seasons in the league. But a tidbit in Ott's background that was likely important — and an irritant to some in the fan base — is that the 40-year-old was video coordinator for Michigan State from 2008-13 after he earned a master's degree from the school. Suns owner Mat Ishbia played as a walk-on for the Spartans from 1999 to 2003 and has shown a strong tendency to favor hiring personnel with a background at the school. Gregory — who has extensive experience as a college basketball coach but not much time in the NBA — was an assistant coach at Michigan State when Ishbia was a player. The worry for fans is that Ishbia is prioritizing prior relationships instead of hiring the best available option. Gregory didn't shy away from his connection to Michigan State and Ishbia when he was introduced in May. Ott talked warmly about his time with the Spartans on Tuesday, but said the first time he formally met Ishbia was in the final stages of the interview process. 'I've earned the right to be here,' Ott said. 'I've spent 20 years of working as hard as I possibly can to be here in this spot. I've been around great people, great coaches, great players, to allow me to grow, put me in tough spots to see if I can be better. 'I know I've earned this opportunity. I'm going to work as hard as I can from here on out to prove I'm here for the right reasons.' ___ AP NBA:
