Paul Skeens is now well aware of where to address rumors about joining both the Yankees and the Pirates.
While at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Skeens was approached by an unknown female reporter who, with a bewildering comment, referred to him as “the future Yankee,” leaving him momentarily speechless.
“Hey, sorry, I just got the best interview ever with Paul Skeens… the future Yankee,” the reporter said, a remark that clearly caught him off guard.
Skeens, the standout pitcher for the Pirates, has faced ongoing chatter about possibly becoming a Yankee for years, and the comment seemed to add fuel to that fire.
He expressed his frustration about these rumors last November, mentioning how disappointed he was with all the speculation regarding a switch to pinstripes.
“I was frustrated for a few hours, but I managed to pull myself together and spoke to the media later that night,” he said during the offseason. “There are going to be things that emerge from this situation, good and bad, but obviously, that’s not true.”
On a side note, it’s worth mentioning that the Yankees have previously attempted to secure Skeens in a trade.
“He’s going to be a Pirate in 2026,” said Pirates GM Ben Cherington during the winter meetings. “Questions will always arise and they are always respectful. Teams need answers, right? So I guess it’s a never-ending cycle. But our answers are consistent.”
Reports from March indicated that the Yankees were still hopeful of orchestrating a trade for Skeens one day.
Nevertheless, the likelihood seems to fade, particularly with the Pirates holding a 50-47 record this season and recently solidifying their spot in the wild-card race.
Unless something drastic happens in the next couple of weeks, it appears the Pirates will be looking to acquire players at the trade deadline.
Skeens has maintained his usual resilience on the mound this year, although he has recorded a 3.57 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 108 1/3 innings—his least impressive performance since stepping into the majors.
