Paul Skenes didn’t have to say much at MLB All-Star media day in Philadelphia for the moment to land.
The Pirates ace, already one of the biggest draws at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, was in the middle of answering another question when a reporter blurted out, “Just got the best interview of all time with Paul Skenes. Future Yankee.”
Skenes stopped, looked around and smiled before asking, “Who's that?”
That was it. No follow-up, no long answer, just a brief flash of confusion that said plenty.
The exchange came during a day when All-Star availability tends to produce a few odd moments, and this one fit right in. The identity of the reporter who made the comment remains unknown, though a woman’s voice can be heard saying it.
The “future Yankee” line, though, only added to the constant chatter around Skenes’ long-term future. He is not close to free agency - that comes after the 2029 season - and he remains under contract with Pittsburgh for three more years beyond 2026.
Skenes was called up in May 2024 and would have been under team control through 2030 if not for his Rookie of the Year win in 2024. Under current rules, a top-two finish gives a player a full year of service time.
Even so, speculation has followed him since he arrived, largely because the Pirates have rarely handed out major contracts and Skenes has already established himself as one of the best pitchers of this era. That’s why his future keeps coming up, even with years still left before he can hit the market.
And if Pittsburgh ever decides it needs to get value back for him before free agency arrives, the conversation would start well before the fall of 2029.
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