Pirates GM Ben Cherington says trading ace Paul Skenes is 'not at all part of the conversation' - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are reeling, and just about everything is on the table for a last-place team that has already fired its manager and packed a half-decade's worth of public-relations missteps into two months.

Well, except for one thing: trading ace Paul Skenes.

Asked on Thursday if flipping the reigning National League Rookie of the Year is a consideration for a club woefully lacking in impactful position-player prospects, general manager Ben Cherington gave an atypically brief response.

«No, it's not part of the conversation at all,» Cherington said flatly.

Pittsburgh entered a four-game series against NL Central rival Milwaukee already 11 games out of playoff position, thanks in large part to an offense that ranks last or next-to-last in nearly every major category, from runs, slugging percentage and OPS (all 30th) to home runs and batting average (both 29th).

The Pirates have also scored four runs or fewer in 26 straight games, tying a major league record set by four other teams, most recently the then-California Angels in 1969.

Not exactly what the team had in mind during spring training, when everyone from Cherington to Skenes to manager Derek Shelton — who was jettisoned two weeks ago and replaced by Don Kelly — talked about the need for Pittsburgh to take another step forward after consecutive 76-86 seasons.

Instead, the Pirates have been stuck in reverse from opening day, even when Skenes starts. Pittsburgh is just 3-5 in his eight starts, the latest loss a 1-0 setback in Philadelphia last weekend in which Skenes limited the Phillies to three hits while throwing the first complete game of his career.

Skenes, who turns 23 next week, has been all-in on the Pirates since being called up a year ago.