MLBPA chief puts Pirates on the spot over Paul Skenes future

It wouldn't be trade deadline season if Paul Skenes' status as Pirates ace weren't in question.

This isn't to suggest that Skenes has done anything wrong, but rather that the Pirates are a small-market destination. It doesn't matter that the Pirates have actually invested in their lineup for a change, or that the team is only a few games back of the final NL Wild Card spot. All that matters is the Pirates aren't the Yankees, Dodgers or Mets, which is why when Skenes spoke with reporters during the All-Star break, one so-called media member called him a 'future Yankee.'

Skenes is under team control through the 2030 season. He isn't going anywhere, at least not yet. But the seemingly-constant narrative that Skenes will one day be traded, rather than sign a long-term extension with the Pirates, is a problem. The owners and MLBPA have two different solutions to that problem, which is where MLBPA chief executive Bruce Meyer comes in.

What Bruce Meyer thinks of Paul Skenes' future on the Pirates

Meyer echoed many of the talking points already noted by players around baseball. If owners want to keep stars like Skenes around, they can afford to do so. Complaining about market size and revenue doesn't quite add up given the amount of money owners have and are bringing in year after year. The Pirates are not poor, but that's only part of the equation.

"So this notion that, "Oh my God, small market teams can't keep their players!", it's just not true. It's not true. They are keeping them. They are keeping them. And they can. And ones who choose not to, can afford to do it. They can afford to do it," Meyer said, pointing to specific examples like Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez, JJ Wetherholt and even Konnor Griffin.

There's a key difference between Skenes and those players, however, and it's that Skenes is far more valuable. If the Pirates tried to extend Skenes tomorrow for anything less than, say, $300 million (and I may be underselling!), his agency would hang up the phone. That's how valuable young, marketable starting pitching is.

MLBPA doesn't take the Pirates concerns seriously

While it's not fair of the Pirates to cry poor each and every year when they should have a payroll north of $100 million, it's also unfair to suggest they have a better chance at signing Skenes for that price than, say, the Dodgers. There's a reason top talent from small-market teams is continuously funneled to Los Angeles and New York. Not every front office has the foresight to sign players like Skenes to team-friendly deals right away, and there are a litany of players who would rather not take an early-career discount.

"Players want to be treated fairly, and they want to play the teams that they think are trying to win. Whether big market, small market, they want to be in places where they and their families are comfortable, and they want to be convinced that the team is actually trying to win. ... If there's a team that's not trying to do that and not trying to provide the best experience for players, that team is going to suffer in trying to attract players," Meyer added.

When specifically asked about the 'future Yankee' comment aimed at Skenes, Meyer shook it off as flippant and said "we'll see." He let the Pirates know exactly where he stands, which is part of the problem. These so-called CBA negotiations are off to a brutal start, which could hurt more than just Skenes and the Pirates.

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