Overview
- Skenes led MLB with a 1.97 ERA and struck out 216 over 187⅔ innings in 32 starts, earning all 30 first-place votes.
- On his Cy Young call, he said his goal is to win in Pittsburgh and questioned the origin of the rumor linking him to New York.
- The speculation stemmed from an NJ Advance Media report quoting an anonymous Pirates teammate who claimed Skenes wants to play for the Yankees.
- Cherington said at the GM meetings that "Paul Skenes is going to be a Pirate in 2026," noting clubs ask about him but the answer has not changed.
- He is not arbitration-eligible until 2027 and isn’t a free agent until after 2029, as the last-place Pirates field ongoing outside interest in their ace.