It would be shocking to see Paul Skenes get traded at all, but it would be the surprise of the century to see him sent within the division to the Chicago Cubs.
As badly as the Cubs might want Skenes, who is under team control for the next four-and-a-half seasons, the Pirates have said publicly that they have no intention of trading him. He’s a Cy Young contender now, and he’ll only turn 23 years old on Thursday.
However, one insider believes it’s possible the Pirates could at least listen to offers behind the scenes if a team like the Cubs wants to blow them away with their package for Skenes.
On Wednesday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic cooked up a hypothetical prospect haul for the Cubs to land Skenes: right-handed pitcher Cade Horton, infielder Matt Shaw, outfielder Kevin Alcántara, and shortstop Juan Tomas.
“The Pirates would acquire Horton, the Cubs’ top pitching prospect, who could immediately go into their rotation, and he’d come with an extra year of control than they have with Skenes,” Bowden wrote.
“Shaw could be moved to second base. Alcántara could be promoted to the majors to play left field, and he’d be an instant upgrade in the Pirates’ lineup. Tomas, 17, is a solid prospect who could develop into their long-term solution at shortstop. Meanwhile, Skenes would make the first-place Cubs a real October threat.”
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Fans on both sides of the aisle will be outraged by the very suggestion of a trade involving these players, and that’s as good a reason as any that ultimately, it won’t happen. At least not yet.
Horton could be an ace. Shaw could be an All-Star. Even the two who have never played in the big leagues have high ceilings. But none are slam dunks to anchor a big-league roster for the next decade the way that Skenes seemingly is.
Perhaps in a couple of years, the Cubs could revisit the idea of trading for Skenes once the Pirates are willing to admit he’s never going to be around for a window of contention. But even then, Pittsburgh might look to get him out of the division above all else.
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