The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to grapple with a prolonged period of struggles, currently holding a disappointing 39-58 record with a .402 winning percentage. This puts them firmly at the bottom of the NL Central, a significant 18.5 games behind the table toppers Cubs. They have struggled particularly on offense, with their team wRC+ being among the lowest in MLB. And, the noise has now grown all across, with an NBA veteran stepping in to urge MLB to get their young phenom Paul Skenes out of Pittsburgh.

For months, both Skenes and Pirates’ execs have declined any trade rumors whatsoever. Still, the Pirates’ unwillingness to invest, paired with Bob Nutting’s ownership approach, has been a key factor behind the trade buzz. Skenes undeniably deserves a lucrative extension, given his performance so far. But if the Pirates fail to provide so, all the clubs around the league would line up to sign one of the elite young pitchers.

Realizing this well enough, the New York Knicks vet Josh Hart made an outrageous plea to the MLB. He raised the issue while responding to the MLB insider Andrew Fillipponi on X.

“Paul Skenes has a 1.20 ERA in July. And he hasn’t won a game since May. You can’t make this stuff up,” Fillipponi noted. Quoting it afterwards, Hart wrote, “For the love of God. This is malpractice…someone make the MLB force a trade.” Well, that’s what most of the clubs around the league want!

It’s the pirates’ disappointing offense that has had Skenes winless in most games. Hart implied that a pitcher with such high capabilities didn’t deserve to be on such a struggling roster.

While Skenes’ trade is something that has been long awaited by many, will it materialize?

Will Paul Skenes sign an extension with the Pirates?

Rafael Devers’ unexpected trade has grabbed the attention of the league for weeks. Devers or the Red Sox didn’t wait for the trade deadline. But, in Skenes’ case, he might not leave Pittsburgh at this point. Even the Pirates won’t want to let him go that easy.

In merely two seasons, Skenes has already established himself as one of the most impressive arms in the league, which is why many are hopeful for him to leave Pittsburgh and sign with a better and big-budget team. But let’s talk about the odds!

Skenes is under the Pirates’ control till 2029, with arbitration eligibility not kicking in before 2027. This might be the best time to lock him in with a long-term extension. But, the Pirates are infamous for hardly ever holding onto their star talents. Owner Bob Nutting doesn’t mind having a “mediocre” team. That very statement he made some time ago drew severe scrutiny.

It will make more sense to you if you see the Pirates’ draft decision. They selected pitcher Seth Hernández at pick no. 6. He’s talented, no doubt about that. However, the strange part was that the team decided to invest in another arm.

Well, only Pirates front office knows what they are doing, but building a good offense around Skenes is just as important as strengthening the pitching staff.