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After a mad search that sent the card collecting community into a frenzy for more than two months, an 11-year-old collector has pulled the coveted Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut patch autograph card from the 2024 Topps Chrome Update.
Back in November, the Pittsburgh Pirates put a bounty on the card, which is estimated to be worth six figures on the open market, in hopes that it finds it way to PNC Park. When the news broke this week that the card had been pulled, the Pirates made it known that their offer to the young collector still stands.
An 11-year-old collector just pulled the Paul Skenes 1/1 Debut Patch card!
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) January 21, 2025
Our offer still stands... you know where to find us 🤝😏 https://t.co/jhY20ODzWa pic.twitter.com/kpdT6u99Sc
Let's review the Pirates' offer: a pair of Pirates season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years; a meet and greet with Skenes; a pair of Skenes autographed jerseys; a softball game for 30 at PNC Park with coaching from Pirates alumni; a private tour of Pirates City and Lecom Park in Bradenton, Fla.; and an opportunity to attend a Pirates home game with Skenes' girlfriend, LSU gymnast and social media influencer Livvy Dunne, in her suite at PNC Park.
It's a significant haul to be sure, but we'd be remiss not to point out the irony of the team with one of the smallest payrolls in the league offering more to an 11-year-old than they've offered to a single free agent this offseason.
Pirates' wild offer to child for Paul Skenes card creates hilarious free agency juxtaposition
Instead of focusing all their efforts on trying to win over a child with the promise of season tickets for a team he probably doesn't even root for, perhaps the Pirates could, say, try to sign Skenes to an extension? Or offer a multiyear contract to an outfielder? (Not that there are many left on the free agent market at this point, but the bar is already low.)
In Skenes, the Pirates have the 2025 National League Cy Young favorite on their roster making pennies compared to his value. If the club actually invested in building a strong team around him, Pittsburgh could be just a few pieces away from contending.
But instead, the Pirates have done less than the bare minimum this offseason – trading for an unproven first baseman and spending a whopping $8 million on a pair of players in free agency – heading into what will likely be another wasted year of Skenes' brilliance.
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