Latest news with #NationalLeagueRookieoftheYear
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Major Paul Skenes Update Announced Amid Trade Rumors
Major Paul Skenes Update Announced Amid Trade Rumors originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been in the spotlight throughout the early weeks of the 2025 MLB season, but none more so than their ace right‐hander, Paul Skenes. Advertisement On Monday, during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Jeff Passan firmly dismissed any notion that the Pirates were considering trading their 22-year-old phenom, stating, "Just to be clear, the Pirates have no intention of trading Paul Skenes at this point.' Passan explained that while rival front offices will certainly inquire about Skenes at the trade deadline, the Pirates' stance remains steadfast in keeping him in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future. "When we've seen pitchers of or near his caliber get traded in the past, it's usually been with like two seasons before they can reach free agency. Paul Skenes does not reach free agency for another five years. So, it's trying to value that properly," Passan added. Skenes was selected first overall by the Pirates in the 2023 MLB Draft and made his major league debut on May 11, 2024. Advertisement He wasted no time showcasing his electric fastball, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning while striking out 11 batters at Wrigley Field in just his second start on May 17. Over 23 starts in 2024, Skenes posted a 1.96 ERA with a 170-strikeout total, going 11-3 en route to National League Rookie of the Year honors and a third-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Ross-Imagn Images Skenes was tabbed as the Opening Day starter on March 27 and, to this point in the 2025 season, has recorded a 2.15 ERA in 12 outings, compiling a 4-5 record. With the Pirates continuing to struggle (22-38, dead last in the NL Central), MLB trade rumors have started to swirl around Skenes. Advertisement Yet, Passan's unequivocal statement that the Pirates have no intention of trading Skenes should put fans at ease that Pittsburgh's front office is committed to building around their young ace With only one full MLB season under his belt, Skenes still has five years of control before free agency, giving Pittsburgh a window to add complementary pieces around him. Related: MLB Reacts to Major Mike Trout News on Friday Related: Braves Dealt Major Pitching Staff Loss on Friday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Dodgers Reportedly Add Former Reds All-Star Closer To Injured Relief Corps
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. According to Sonja Chen of the Los Angeles Dodgers traded minor league right-hander Mike Billani for Cincinnati Reds reliever Alexis Díaz on Thursday. Díaz was demoted earlier this month due to his poor performance at the beginning of this season. DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Alexis Diaz #43 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 26, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 26: Alexis Diaz #43 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 26, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Photo byDíaz was an All-Star in 2023, saving 37 games while posting a 3.07 ERA with the Reds. In the year prior, Díaz would finish in fifth place in National League Rookie of the Year voting after finishing the season with a 1.84 ERA. Díaz struggled to be consistent this season and was demoted to Triple-A after only six appearances for the Reds with a 12.00 ERA. Once being demoted to Triple-A, Díaz began to right the ship with a 4.61 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 12 2/3 innings pitched. While that is nothing compared to his All-Star campaign, Díaz is showing some improvement as he is now headed for Los Angeles. Díaz is joining a Dodgers bullpen that has been riddled with injuries in the early portion of the season, with Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, and Michael Kopech on the injured list with various return dates. Díaz is a low-risk option with the upside of returning to his All-Star performance. Kopech is slated to return in late May or early June, but the remainder are out for a good portion of the season. Díaz is under team control until 2027, and with the upside of his returning to form, the Dodgers may end up with an absolute steal for the back end of their bullpen. More MLB: Cubs Interested In Negotiating Extension In-Season For Breakout Star
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Paul Skenes pitches like a Cy Young contender while Pirates waste another gem
The Pittsburgh Pirates rolled to an easy win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday with a commanding lead. The win was powered by National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now His excellent pitching carried the game, helping to quell the Arizona Diamondback offense in a win for the Pirates. Skenes' dominance on the rubber has placed him among baseball's elite young arms on the year. Paul Skenes shines on mound with a historic performance Paul Skenes' performance on Wednesday was nothing less than phenomenal. The young ace threw 6.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just four hits and no walks while fanning 7 hitters. His control and accuracy were on display as he completely shut down the Arizona lineup. This trip was another gem in what has otherwise been a breakout campaign for Skenes. The 22-year-old continues to build his case as one of the league's premier young pitchers, and what he did on the road easily lived up to the bill. What makes Skenes' dominance that much more impressive is that he can also hold hits in check. He has since completed 35 career starts without surrendering more than six hits in a given contest, which is an MLB record. His ERA currently sits at an incredible 2.15 and his career ERA at a jaw-dropping 2.03. Skenes' 4-5 record this year, however, lies due to a complete absence of run support from his offense. But his ability to control the mound has been evident, and his potential is unquestioned. Also Read: A historic season for Paul Skenes Skenes' early career is already full of impressive markers. He has already become one of the greatest pitchers ever at his age. In fact, among pitchers who started at least 25 games as a 22-year-old, only Babe Ruth in 1917 and Sam McDowell in the 1960s have posted better ERAs than Skenes' 2.08. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The fact that Skenes is performing at this level in just his second season is a sign of his incredible talent and work ethic. With his ability to throw effectively to major league hitters, Skenes is only just starting to reach his full potential. Although Skenes' consistent pitching hasn't led to more wins than losses so far to the Pirates' name this season, it has provided some very valuable arm power. He's been the silver lining for what has otherwise been a miserable season in Pittsburgh. The Pirates are 21-36 overall, last in the National League Central, but they have pitchers like Skenes, who are making the team's future bright. Ahead, the Pirates will seek to follow up on this win when they face the San Diego Padres. The Pirates are to start Mitch Keller in the second game of the series Friday night. The Pirates will look to build on this as they try to climb out of the bottom half of the standings in the division.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Paul Skenes, Pirates Not Speaking Yet About Contract Extension
PHOENIX — The Pittsburgh Pirates are about to reach a crisis point when it comes to the future of the franchise. Do they sign stellar starting pitcher Paul Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, for at least five seasons to cover his pre-arbitration and arbitration years, or do they trade him before he even gets to that point? Advertisement More from If they don't trade or sign him, his price in each of his three arbitration years could prove to be very prohibitive for a franchise that has a $114.2 million payroll for tax purposes this season per Spotrac, which is 26th in Major League Baseball. That's the second-lowest payroll in the National League to Miami's $85.2 million. Skenes, who is earning a second-year minimum salary of $875,000 this season, has not yet held contract talks with the Pirates, the right-hander said after earning the win in a 10-1 drubbing of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday at Chase Field. 'That hasn't happened,' Skenes, the No. 1 draft pick from 2023 out of LSU, said. 'This is about the here and now. I'm not in any rush for a decision to be made like that. I don't think they are, either.' Advertisement Skenes is this decade's Gerrit Cole, as far as the Pirates are concerned. Cole was picked first overall by the Pirates in the 2011 draft and was ultimately traded to the Houston Astros in 2018 before he could reach free agency—something that still irks Cole. The right-handed pitcher went on to sign a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees in 2019; he is out this season and into next after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. That deal was way too rich for Pittsburgh's blood then, and it certainly would be even at half that amount now. Skenes, turning 23 on Thursday, is constrained by the early restrictions the collective bargaining agreement places on young players. Even Detroit's Tarik Skubal, who won the American League Cy Young Award last year, is a little more advanced, making $10.15 million this year after signing a one-year contract to avoid arbitration. He has one more year of arbitration before heading into free agency in 2027. Skenes? 'I'm tied up until 2030, I think,' the Pirates ace said. And already the trade rumors are rolling. Does he pay any attention to all that? Advertisement 'What trade rumors?' he said. 'I don't think any of that is for real.' But unless the Pirates make a contractual overture, the rumors will persist. One would think it would be in the Pirates' best interest to do something long-term at what might now be a discount price. For example, the Diamondbacks signed outfielder and speedster Corbin Carroll in 2023 at age 22 for eight years, $111 million, wiping out his arbitration years and early free agency, which doesn't begin by rule until a player has finished his sixth season. That gives the club more control and the player some much-needed security. MLB contracts are guaranteed if a player is hurt. In Skenes' case, he was the NL All-Star starter last year at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas and a player the Pirates would want to build around, you'd think. Advertisement 'No doubt,' Pirates manager Don Kelly said. 'A [player like] Paul Skenes doesn't come around very often, maybe ever. There are few pitchers like that. When I was younger I got to play with [Justin] Verlander and [Max] Scherzer. You see the same thing in Paul. He's definitely the kind of guy you want to build around.' But that depends upon the Pirates and their thrifty ways. The club's assistant general manager Bryan Stroh was on the road trip but declined to make himself available to answer questions about the subject. In essence, the Pirates don't get much of an attendance bump when Skenes is starting at PNC Park as opposed to the rest of their home schedule. They average 17,120 fans a game at PNC Park, 26th in MLB, and 18,937 in the five starts thus far this season that Skenes has made—and that includes the 37,713 who showed up on April 19 in a loss to Cleveland when the team gave away a Skenes bobblehead. Demand was so high for the bobblehead that fans lined up early across the Roberto Clemente Bridge into downtown Pittsburgh. Initially, only the first 20,000 through the gates were to obtain the prized possession. But when owner Bob Nutting saw the commotion, he guaranteed a bobblehead to all fans in attendance handing out a voucher when fans scanned their tickets. It was such a great promotion that the Pirates are planning to give away a Paul Skenes Superman bobblehead for their game against the Texas Rangers at PNC Park on June 22. Advertisement Perhaps that's to avoid these kind of attendance results: 8,291 to see Skenes pitch in an April 8 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and 13,633 to see Skenes lose to the Chicago Cubs on May 1. The largest crowd to see Skenes pitch this season was 53,055 at Dodger Stadium on April 25. The right-hander excelled that night by pitching into the seventh inning in a win, holding the Dodgers to no runs, five hits while striking out nine on 108 pitches. Similarly, on Wednesday he allowed no runs on four hits while whiffing seven on 96 pitches before Kelly plucked him with two out in the seventh in front of another strong road crowd of 25,202. If he's more popular on the road and less of a payday at home, the Pirate might as well trade him than extend. But that all remains to be seen. Advertisement 'It's all probably a long way away,' Skenes said. 'We have a good core and good opportunity to do so something significant in Pittsburgh.' Is this where he wants to be long term? 'I don't know,' he said. 'Just hear them out.' Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How Paul Skenes fared in his latest start with the Pittsburgh Pirates
How Paul Skenes fared in his latest start with the Pittsburgh Pirates Former LSU baseball star Paul Skenes continued his excellent sophomore campaign in a start vs. the Brewers. Over six innings, Skenes allowed one run on four hits and two walks. He finished with eight strikeouts, including two apiece in the first and second innings. The Brewers scored their sole run against Skenes on an RBI single by Rhys Hoskins. The quality start is Skenes' eighth of the season. It follows his complete game effort with nine strikeouts against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, which ended in a 1-0 loss for the Pirates. The Pirates hit the road for three-game sets against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres over the next week. Skenes likely returns the bump in San Diego over the weekend. Skenes' 2.36 ERA and 0.95 WHIP both rank third in the National League, while his 70 strikeouts rank fifth. Coming off his National League Rookie of the Year campaign, he cemented himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball.
