Paul Skenes just wrapped up perhaps the most dominant season ever by a Pirates starter. He led all of MLB with a 1.97 ERA, and hence it’s no shock that he’s one of the three finalists for the NL Cy Young Award. But that’s where the good news stops.

Despite having a Cy Young-worthy ace, the Pirates finished at the bottom of the NL Central with a 71-91 record. Because their offense was brutal. They had the lowest slugging percentage in the league (.350), one of the worst OPS (.655), a .231 team BA, and just a .305 OBP. Now, what’s more surprising is that the situation is unlikely to change with Bob Nutting’s unwillingness to invest in the team.

And so, one MLB insider suggested Skenes to pull an Eli Manning to find a way to get himself out of Pittsburgh.

“There’s a part of me that wishes that he had pulled one of those John Elway, Eli Manning, Eric Lindros maneuvers and just said, ‘I can’t go there. I can’t go there. My expectations of myself are so much higher than what that franchise’s expectations are of itself. There’s not a match here.” DK Pittsburgh Sports’ columnist Dejan Kovacevic went no-holds-barred.

During the 2004 NFL Draft, Eli Manning asked the San Diego Chargers that he wouldn’t play for them if drafted. Still, the Chargers picked him, but quickly traded him to the New York Giants. The result? Manning spent his entire career with the Giants and won two Super Bowls!

As per Kovacevic, Skenes may consider a similar move. ‘Either trade me, or get serious about winning.’ Because right now, despite his dominance, the Pirates seem perfectly fine fielding a subpar team in front of a full house.

But realistically, Skenes probably won’t go that route.

“He knows that his next session with reporters could be the one that just blows up into the biggest story the pirates could ever be part of. He’s aware, but he doesn’t go there. In fact, he doesn’t even really come close to going there. That’s because he’s by nature someone who commits,” Kovacevic added.

As the face of the franchise, Skenes knows any such comment would instantly become front-page news in Pittsburgh. Furthermore, given his Air Force background, loyalty and commitment define who he is. Yet, that loyalty may not get him much help on the field.

The Pirates’ payroll, already modest at $86 million this year, is projected to drop to just $67 million next season. That would be the lowest in all of MLB. So, unless something changes fast, Skenes might be stuck carrying a losing team for a while.

Trading Skenes could be a winning move for the Pirates

The Yankees were reportedly ready to go all-in for Paul Skenes.

According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, New York was even willing to part with outfielder Spencer Jones and infielder George Lombard Jr. for Skenes. But those talks never really went anywhere.

Now, a new report from Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer suggests the Pirates could cash in even bigger by dealing Skenes to the Tigers. They could get two of the top 10 prospects in MLB from Detroit.

Shortstop Kevin McGonigle (No. 2) and outfielder Max Clark (No. 8)!

So, for the Pirates, it’s a win-win situation.

A chance to turn one star pitcher into two elite position-player prospects who could anchor the franchise for the next decade. And considering that pitchers are always one injury or slump away from losing value, trading Skenes now at his absolute peak might be the smartest financial and strategic move.

Also, with the team already squeezed with budgetary constraints, moving Skenes could help Pittsburgh load up its farm system and finally start building a sustainable future.