Pirates make wildly desperate offer to whoever pulls Paul Skenes rookie card

With the release of 2024 Topps Chrome Update came the reveal of the Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card, and while plenty of card collectors will be desperate to get their hands on this one-of-a-kind collectible, perhaps no one is more desperate than Skenes' employer.

In the hopes that the card find its way back to PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced on social media Friday a mind-blowing offer to the lucky person who pulls the card, as long as they are willing to give it to the club.

The offer includes 30 years of Pirates season tickets behind home plate and a softball game for 30 at PNC Park with coaching from Pirates alumni – a nod to Skenes' No. 30 jersey. The offer also includes a one-of-a-kind Spring Training experience featuring a meet and greet with Skenes, two autographed jerseys, an opportunity to take batting practice with the team and more.

Skenes' girlfriend, LSU gymnast and social media influencer Livvy Dunne, sweetened the pot by announcing on X that the lucky fan who accepts the Pirates' offer can also sit with her at a Pirates game in her suite.

Demand for Topps' Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card expected to skyrocket as Pirates make desperate offer

In addition to being a 1-of-1 collectible, the card is also signed by Skenes and features the original MLB debut patch he wore on his jersey during his first MLB regular-season game May 11 against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park.

Sports Collectors Digest predicts that the card could ultimately be worth six figures depending on how his career pans out. Given how dominant Skenes was in his historic rookie season, though, it's not out of the question to presume that the card could be worth six figures right out of the pack.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes somehow exceeded the sky-high expectations surrounding his MLB debut season. The 22-year-old made 23 starts in 2024, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 170 strikeouts over 133 innings. He became just the fifth rookie in MLB history to start the All-Star Game, and is a finalist for both the National League Rookie of the Year Award and the NL Cy Young Award.

Whoever pulls the Skenes card will have a decision to make. They can hold onto it in the hopes that its value appreciates over time, but they also risk injuries or a downturn in performance tanking the card's value. They can sell it immediately, maximizing on the current hype around Skenes, but losing out on any potential value the card accrues in the future.

Now, thanks to the Pirates, the lucky collector will have a third option – cash in on the Pirates' insane offer to enjoy the experience of a lifetime and 30 years of Pirates baseball, all for free. It may be a long shot, but the Pirates are pulling out all the stops; they really want this card in Pittsburgh.

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