Paul Skenes Isn't Panicking About Pirates' Deadline Moves

Paul Skenes Isn't Panicking About Pirates' Deadline Moves originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' 2025 trade deadline wasn't a push for October. It was a pull toward 2026.

In the span of the week, the front office dealt away closer David Bednar and longtime third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. These moves marked a clear shift from short-term contention to long-term restructuring. For fans, the decision stung. For Paul Skenes, it was a moment to double down on the vision.

Speaking with Noah Niles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Skenes was asked to reflect on this year's trade deadline and how it compared to the 2024 deadline.

"At the end of the day, it's about winning," he said. "We’re gonna do our best to go out there and do our best to win every game the remainder of the season. What we did last year, I think they took an approach to set us up for the second half, the last two months of the season last year, but also set us up for this year with some of the acquisitions we made. But it all comes down to winning."

Now 23 in the midst of his first full MLB season, Skenes has emerged not only as the Pirates' best pitcher, but arguably their most mature voice. His dominance, highlighted by a 2.02 ERA with 154 strikeouts over 138 innings, has given Pittsburgh stability in an otherwise turbulent year.

But wins have been hard to come by.

Despite ranking 12th in MLB in team ERA (3.85) and fielding one of the youngest rotations in baseball, the Pirates entered August buried at the bottom of the National League Central. Their run differential of -51 points the picture clearly: the pitching is ready; the offense is not.

Which is partly why general manager Ben Cherington shifted his strategy.

In return for Hayes, Bednar, and left-hander Bailey Falter (traded to Kansas City), the Pirates acquired a mix of prospects and financial flexibility. Skenes believes that room to maneuver could pay off soon, even if it hurts now.

“Hopefully it also created some space for us to acquire some bats in the offseason,” Skenes said. “Didn’t see a lot in terms of major league [acquisitions] at the deadline, but hopefully that sets us up next year.

Still, the rest of 2025 won’t be about standings. Not anymore.

“How we define [progress] for the rest of the year is probably going to be different,” Skenes added. “It’s not going to just be winning and losing games.”

There’s also been external criticism of Cherington’s decision to hold onto veterans Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Tommy Pham, and Andrew Heaney, all on expiring contracts. But Skenes disagrees with the skeptics.

“We need them,” he said. “If we’re talking about winning games… having those two guys around is going to be very good for the young guys that are going to come up, especially on the position player side.”

With just under two months left in the regular season, the standings are no longer the measure. But the standard and Skenes’ tone won't change.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.