He isn’t going anywhere by the trade deadline. You can bet on that. The Pirates’ ace is under team control through 2030, and Pittsburgh has no intention of parting with a player who not only performs but also draws fans to the ballpark.
At the moment, He is one of the few consistent attractions the Pirates have, aside from Oneil Cruz. That hasn’t stopped speculation, though—fans and analysts alike have debated which teams, if any, could even dream of acquiring Him. Enter Jim Bowden, who thinks the Chicago Cubs might be one of them.
The Cubs clearly need help in their starting rotation, especially with Justin Steele out for the season. If they’re still in the NL Central race come July, they’ll likely look for pitching reinforcements.
Bowden, a former MLB general manager, understands just how improbable a Skenes trade really is. Yes, the Pirates are struggling, but dealing away a young, controllable ace would be organizational suicide. That’s why the trade proposal Bowden suggests is far-fetched at best:
Chicago Cubs receive:
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SP Paul Skenes
Pittsburgh Pirates receive:
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RHP Cade Horton
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3B Matt Shaw
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OF Kevin Alcántara
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SS Juan Tomas
The real debate isn’t whether the trade is realistic—it’s whether it’s even reasonable. The truth? Both front offices would likely hang up the phone immediately.
Pirates and Cubs absolutely wouldn’t make this Paul Skenes trade
From the Pirates’ standpoint, no trade offer could truly compensate for parting with Paul Skenes. While the Cubs’ proposed package includes several MLB-ready talents like Cade Horton and Matt Shaw, it’s hard to justify such a move—especially with GM Ben Cherington under pressure. Making a franchise-altering decision like trading Skenes should be left to whoever takes over next in Pittsburgh.
On the Cubs’ side, as promising as Skenes is, giving up most of their top prospects for one player doesn’t align with building a sustainable winner. Yes, Chicago needs pitching, possibly even a true ace, but parting with a chunk of the future for a starter who only appears every fifth day is an unnecessary gamble. This team is already in playoff contention. Trading away potentially four future starters reeks of a franchise clinging to a fading competitive window—which the Cubs, and certainly Jed Hoyer, don’t see themselves as.
Sure, none of the players in the deal may have the ceiling of Skenes, but he’s still a pitcher—a role notoriously vulnerable to injuries, especially for someone who throws as hard as he does.
That’s exactly why dealing Skenes shouldn’t even be considered by a serious contender—at least not right now.
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