Overview

• Ben Cherington said saved trade deadline funds would boost future payrolls but anonymous sources say the 2026 player budget will match or dip below this year’s.
• Preliminary extension talks have taken place with Skenes, confirmed by insider Dan Zangrilli, yet his long-term deal remains uncertain.
• Tim Benz argued that Pittsburgh could structure a nine-figure package to secure Skenes through his arbitration and early free-agency years.
• Commissioner Rob Manfred has publicly criticized the Pirates’ sub-$100 million payroll as a barrier to competitiveness.
• Owner Bob Nutting’s history of keeping budgets under $100 million since 2017 fuels skepticism about any major spending shift.