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National League 2024 Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes continues to deliver. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved As might be expected from a pitcher who throws 100 mph, Pittsburgh right-hander Paul Skenes took the high road when he found himself the subject of trade rumors. “It doesn’t affect anything,” Skenes said. “Anybody can play GM.” The Pirates seem to understand how ludicrous it would be to trade Skenes at this point, less than two years into his major league career that includes the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year award and a start in the 2024 All-Star Game. “It’s not part of the conversation at all,” Pirates’ general manager Ben Cherington said. There are many ways to build a pennant contender, and they can vary by market size and financial means. History indicates the Pirates would be best served by keeping Skenes and fitting pieces around him rather than vice versa. They tried it the other way with Gerrit Cole. It did not work. “He’s definitely a guy you want to build around,” Pirates interim manager Don Kelly said after Skenes threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 10-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. “No doubt. Paul Skenes, they don’t come around … ever. There are few pitchers like that.” Kelly knows the type. He played with legitimate aces Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer during the Detroit Tigers’ postseason runs in 2011-1014, and he noted the similarities between those two Hall of Fame candidates and Skenes. Verlander won the AL Cy Young award in 2011 and was second in 2012. Scherzer won it in 2013 and won consecutive NL Cy Youngs after being traded to Washington in 2016-17. Scherzer is one of seven pitchers to win it in both leagues. “That’s…

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Filed under: News - @ May 29, 2025 5:28 pm