How much would it cost the New York Mets to make a blockbuster, paradigm shift trade for Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes? Obviously, it would cost a lot. However, a notable MLB insider shed light on the exact price in a potential deal.
Skenes is showing in 2025, his much hyped rookie season was no fluke. Heading into the week the 23 year old owns an outstanding 1.94 ERA, a 0.922 WHIP, and a strikeout to walk ratio of 125-30. He was an All-Star in his debut season last year, and is posting even better numbers this season.
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The Pirates ace is the type of talent that should be in Pittsburgh for the next 15 years, at least. He should not be in trade speculation. However, when you have one of the cheapest owners in MLB, the assumption around the game is they won’t re-sign him in a few years. Which means a trade will happen eventually, and doing it sooner could land the club one of the best trade returns in recent memory.
The Mets, unsurprisingly, have been one of the teams linked to a potential Skenes trade. Many have speculated on what the huge cost could be. Well, this week, ESPN MLB insider David Schoenfield detailed a potential package New York will need to offer in trade talks.
Paul Skenes stats (2025): 4-7 Record, 1.94 ERA, 0.922 WHIP, 125 Strikeouts, 30 Walks
The trade idea would see the Mets get Skenes, and in return send SS/CF Jett Williams, RHP Jonah Tong, RHP Nolan McLean, IF Ronny Mauricio, and OF Carson Benge to the Pirates.
Williams, Tong, McLean, and Benge are the top four prospects in MLB.com’s rankings of the team’s top prospecs right now. All four also landed in the site’s rankings of the top 100 prospects in the entire league. So, essentially the club would have to give up all of the elites of their system, or four top 100 minor leaguers to land Skenes.
Furthermore, Mauricio would be included in that deal. The infielder is another one of the team’s top prospects over the last few years, and has show his potential this season getting a good bit of playing time at the big league level over the last couple of months.
However, Skenes is a generational talent. If he can keep up these numbers over the next seven to eight seasons, he will have already amassed a career that will get him Hall of Fame consideration. That is just how good the young star has been in his first season and a half.
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