Pirates blockbuster trade proposal cut ties with Paul Skenes for 4-players

The Pittsburgh Pirates recently fired Derek Shelton and seem to be years away from being contenders. That, paired with their inability to compete financially with big markets, could lead to them losing Paul Skenes when he hits free agency.

Skenes will not be a free agent until 2030, but the Pirates are not giving him much reason to sign an extension or stay when he hits the market. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," MLB insider Jeff Passan suggested the Pirates should trade Skenes for a haul if they do not see a path to contending with or extending him.

"If they believe they have absolutely no chance of signing him, then they should trade him," said Passan. "And you can make an argument that they should trade him now."

"What incentive does Paul Skenes have to extend with the Pirates? The Pirates have not shown willingness, from Bob Nutting all the way down, or the ability to bring in guys who are going to make this team better," Passan continued.

A trade for Skenes would take a package of big league and promising young prospects. FanSided's Zachary Rymer proposed this deal that would send Skenes to the Seattle Mariners:

• Mariners receive: Paul Skenes
• Pirates receive: Bryce Miller, Colt Emerson, Harry Ford, and Jurrangelo Cijntje

Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp

The Mariners would be giving up a big league starter, but the intriguing part of the trade is the prospects the Pirates would be getting back. Emerson, Ford and Cijntje are the team's No. 1, No. 5 and No. 8 prospects. All three are also Top 100 prospects for MLB Pipeline. Cijntje is a very interesting pitching prospect as he can throw 90-plus mph with both hands.

"This is obviously a lot for the Mariners to give up, but it also represents a sort of best-case scenario," wrote Rymer. "Swapping out Miller for Skenes would be quite the upgrade, naturally. Otherwise, Ford is blocked at catcher by Cal Raleigh and Emerson is at least a year behind a fellow red-hot shortstop prospect in Cole Young. And as tantalizing as Cijntje's switch-pitching talent is in the abstract, he frankly isn't all that as a left-handed pitcher."

Trading Skenes likely is not even a conversation in Pittsburgh. However, as they continue to struggle, it becomes clearer that he will leave in free agency. He is setting himself up for a massive payday and would be unwise to sign an extension that ties him to the Pirates for years to come. The Mariners are leading the American League West, but adding Skenes could make them a legitimate contender.

More MLB: Dodgers could cut ties with another veteran to call up No.4 prospect