‘Delusional’ Yankees Face Fan Mockery After Paul Skenes Trade Deadline Plan Surfaces

The Yankees have a storied history of blockbuster trades that reshaped the franchise, from Babe Ruth to the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez in exchange for Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias. Those bold moves often defined eras in the Bronx. But the current landscape feels different. Despite flashes of brilliance from rising talents like Paul Skenes, the Yankees appear hesitant to swing big on the trade market, preferring to hold tight to their young core.

At the center of that caution stands Spencer Jones, the club’s top outfield prospect. Notably, in 2025, Jones has surged into the spotlight with a dominant performance, making him one of the most enticing Yankees prospects in recent memory. Yet his rapid rise has created a dilemma. New York seems to value him as an untouchable cornerstone, perhaps more than the league actually does. This is coming at a cost for the team.

In a recent X post, Fireside Yankees reported via insider Jon Heyman: “The Yankees will ONLY trade Spencer Jones for Paul Skenes.” In other words, unless the Pirates have a shocking change of heart before the deadline, Jones is staying put in New York.

Honestly, it’s easy to see why the Yankees are so high on Jones. Since his call-up to Triple-A, he has been on fire, batting .402 with 13 HR in just 21 games. He looks like one of the most exciting power-hitting prospects in baseball right now. However, here’s the catch.

Jones hasn’t proven anything in the majors yet! Yes, the Yankees clearly see Jones as a future star. However, he still has miles to travel before getting established in the major league. For instance, Baseball America ranked Jones as No. 93 in their midseason top-100 prospects list. Therefore, to be pitched against names like Skenes, the Yankees need to offer the rookie slugger more time. At least until he enters the major league.

Now, amid this situation, the report of the Yankees pitching Jones to trade with Skenes has left the fans wondering. Fans have yet to accept that a player who is still in Triple-A is offered in exchange for the second-best pitcher of the 2025 season.

Yankees’ decision has left the fans stunned

Paul Skenes is the No. 2 pitcher this year, and Jones has yet to make his mark. No comparison, right? However, we always expect surprises in MLB.

Enough to make one fan call the Yankees the “most delusional franchise.” While the Pirates have already confirmed that Skenes is untouchable, a good bucket of top names might still work. However, that basket shouldn’t have only one prospect. Imagine any team asking the Yankees for Aaron Judge in exchange for a rookie. Sounds delusional, right? But again, we have yet to receive any official update from the Yankees. Notably, until now, we haven’t seen any update about Skenes from the Yankees camp. So, consider it as a media hype or not, the Jones-Skenes trade is next to impossible.

Will it pay off for the Yankees if they hold Jones? For the unversed, the Yankees have a history of holding onto prospects they believed would become stars, only to watch those bets fizzle. “No one falls in love with their prospects and falls short of expectations quite like the Yankees.” One user remarked that the Yankees are second to none when it comes to holding on to their prospects without a clear pathway. For example, acquired in the 2016 Andrew Miller trade, Clint Frazier was supposed to be a future cornerstone outfielder. The Yankees held onto him through multiple trade deadlines, passing on deals that could have landed frontline players. Let’s see what happens with Jones this time.

Trade always happens on equal terms, and to trade Skenes, the exchange value should match his brilliance. One fan thinks, “Jones better end up being a legit MLB player.” Well, outside of Judge, the Yankees haven’t exactly been cranking out elite homegrown stars lately. However, they’re banking on No. 4 prospect Jones to change that. He is proving his worth in Triple-A, smashing 13 home runs in just 21 games. However, he is yet to break into the major league scene. It makes sense to let Jones first enter the major league before pitching him against a top talent.

So, considering that the Yankees are not willing to trade Jones on an urgent basis, why is there a delay in calling him up? “Never call him up and never trade him. Makes sense,” one fan remarked sarcastically. One reason is his high strikeout rate. Notably, Jones had a 33.7% strikeout rate at Double-A this season. Therefore, it remains a concern for the Yankees as they consider his ability to consistently make contact against MLB pitching.

So, what’s left for the Yankees now? Better to focus on this season.”As much as I like Jones, Cashman has to stop prospect-hugging and make the team stronger to win this year. Jones is not helping them win anything this year, no spot for him, every playoff team has gotten stronger, other than the Yankees, it’s embarrassing.” The Yankees are currently 4 wins behind the AL East topper Blue Jays and have gone 11-9 in their last 20 games. From the deadline, the biggest prize for the Yankees is David Bednar, and the rest are prospects. Therefore, rather than focusing on trading Jones, fans are suggesting the team focus on the season.

It’s clear now that the Yankees are not releasing Jones for now. Hence, the rumors about Skenes with the Yankees can be put to rest.