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Pirates Face Massive Skenes Contract Dilemma
9 Apr
Summary
- Skenes has four years of team control remaining.
- Comparisons include Crochet's $170 million and deGrom's extension.
- Tarik Skubal's potential $400 million deal is a market benchmark.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Skenes, the former No. 1 overall pick and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, remains under club control through the 2029 season. Despite ample time, urgency exists for the Pirates to negotiate a long-term deal. Skenes' talent suggests he's an exception to the general risk of large pitcher contracts.
Comparisons for Skenes' potential deal include Garrett Crochet's six-year, $170 million extension and Jacob deGrom's five-year, $137.5 million pact. However, Skenes has more club control years remaining than these precedents. Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 12-year, $325 million contract is the current largest for a pitcher.
Tarik Skubal's upcoming free agency, with projections exceeding $400 million, serves as a significant market benchmark. Skenes could aim to surpass this figure to reset the market. A short-term deal might secure Skenes around $130-$140 million for four years, while a decade-plus commitment could approach $500 million.
The Pirates likely prefer a shorter extension to mitigate risk and delay free agency, whereas Skenes is positioned to chase a record-breaking contract. An agreement is not imminent, but the situation warrants close observation.
