Bobby Bonilla’s name might spark memories of deferred payments and “Bobby Bonilla Day” headlines, but in Pittsburgh, he’s remembered for something far more meaningful: winning baseball. Bonilla was a cornerstone of the Pirates’ last great run, a time when he, Barry Bonds, and Andy Van Slyke roamed the outfield like a three-man wrecking crew. Now, decades later, Bonilla’s message to the Pirates is simple, clear, and rooted in experience: Keep Paul Skenes.
In a recent conversation, Bonilla reflected on his time with the Bucs, his bond with Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland, and the state of the franchise today. But the headline wasn’t about nostalgia-it was about the future.
Bonilla, who knows what it takes to build a winner in Pittsburgh, didn’t mince words when it came to the team’s young ace. “Keep Paul Skenes,” he said.
And in a winter clouded by trade rumors and speculation, that kind of clarity hits different.
Bonilla’s plea isn’t just about talent-it’s about direction. Skenes has already made it clear what he’s chasing: not just accolades, but championships.
He’s not here to be a star on a struggling team. He wants to lead a contender.
That mindset, that hunger, is exactly what Bonilla saw during his own run in black and gold.
To understand why Bonilla’s words carry weight, you have to look back at how those early '90s Pirates teams were built. That group didn’t stumble into contention-they made bold, calculated moves to get there.
Bonilla himself shifted from third base to the outfield to accommodate Wally Backman, a move that helped balance the roster. The front office made gutsy trades too, parting with prized prospects like Willie Greene and Moisés Alou to bring in a key arm in Zane Smith.
Those decisions weren’t easy, but they were made with one goal in mind: win now.
That’s the kind of approach Bonilla is advocating for today. If the Pirates want to make the most of Skenes’ prime, they can’t afford to treat him like a trade chip.
They need to treat him like the franchise cornerstone he is. Because if you’ve got a guy who throws like that and wants to lead a winning culture, you don’t let him walk-you build around him.
Bonilla also offered a reminder of how fragile a window of contention can be. The Pirates nearly traded Barry Bonds before the 1992 season.
Had they done so, it’s very possible the team’s 20-year playoff drought would’ve started even earlier. That’s the razor’s edge teams walk.
Trade a superstar too soon, and you might not get another shot for decades. Keep him and commit to winning, and you might just catch lightning in a bottle.
The Pirates don’t need to look far to see what’s at stake. They’ve got a young ace who wants to win, a fanbase hungry for relevance, and a franchise legend reminding them of the cost of letting opportunity slip away.
So here’s the bottom line: Paul Skenes isn’t just the future-he’s the present. And if the Pirates want to turn this era into something special, they’d be wise to take a page from Bonilla’s book.
Build the team. Make the moves.
And most importantly, keep the guy who can lead you there.