Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes found himself momentarily speechless after a reporter at the All-Star Game referred to him as a "future Yankee." The incident occurred during an interview with reporters in Philadelphia when an unidentified female reporter addressed Skenes with the unexpected comment.
"Hey, sorry. Just got the best interview of all time with Paul Skenes… Future Yankee," the reporter said, according to reports. Skenes appeared visibly taken aback by the remark, which touched upon ongoing speculation about his potential future with the New York Yankees.
This is not the first time Skenes has addressed rumors linking him to the Yankees. In November, he expressed frustration over circulating claims that he desired to play for the Bronx-based team. "I was frustrated for a couple of hours and then kind of got over it and talked to the media later that night," Skenes said during the offseason. "There’s stuff that’s going to come out, good and bad, obviously it’s not true."
The Yankees did reportedly inquire about acquiring Skenes. Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington stated in March that while the Yankees had expressed interest, Skenes was expected to remain with the Pirates through at least 2026. "The question gets asked and it’s always respectful," Cherington said. "Teams have to ask the question, right? So I suspect that won’t end. But the answer has been consistent."
Despite the persistent rumors, the Pirates have had a solid season, holding a 50-47 record and sitting within striking distance of a wild card spot. This performance suggests the team will likely be buyers at the upcoming trade deadline rather than sellers, making any potential trade of Skenes increasingly unlikely.
Skenes has been a dominant force for the Pirates, though his statistics this year show a slight increase in his earned run average to 3.57. He has recorded 130 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings pitched.