The Pittsburgh Pirates may be stuck at the bottom of the NL Central standings, but their ace, Paul Skenes, is giving fans something to believe in. Following Wednesday’s dominant win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh reiterated its firm stance. Skenes is not available in any trade talks.

That stance only grew stronger after Skenes dominated again under the spotlight. His consistency, maturity, and control at just 22 years old have quickly made him untouchable, not just to hitters, but to teams hoping Pittsburgh might listen to trade proposals.

The Pirates routed Arizona 10–1 at PNC Park, backed by 6.2 shutout innings from Skenes. The phenom allowed just four hits, struck out seven, and dropped his ERA to 2.15 through 12 starts this season. Despite a 4–5 record, his performance has been elite. In 75.1 innings, Skenes boasts 77 strikeouts, a 0.92 WHIP, and continues to anchor the Pirates' rotation.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the latest praise surrounding Paul Skenes after his dominant outing.

“Pirates manager Don Kelly says watching Paul Skenes’ dominance reminds him of his days with the Tigers with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer,” wrote Nightengale.

“Those are guys you want to build around,” Kelly said.

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Nightengale also noted that “the Pirates emphasize they definitely are not trading Skenes.”

That statement puts to rest growing MLB trade rumors suggesting Skenes could be moved by the Pirates for a haul of prospects. With multiple years of team control remaining, the team appears committed to building around their ace rather than flipping him for short-term gain.

Skenes, who now owns a 2.03 career ERA over 35 starts, continues to draw attention for his dominance. His career WHIP stands at 0.94, and he’s allowed only 47 earned runs in the majors. His fastball command, strikeout rate, and poise on the mound have sparked comparisons not only to Verlander and Scherzer but even historical legends like Babe Ruth.

As the season continues, Pittsburgh’s success may hinge on the right arm of their rising star. And with the front office doubling down on keeping Skenes, the message is clear: the Pirates are planning to win with him, not without him.