Pirates' Paul Skenes says of trade chatter, 'Anybody can play GM' - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes didn't hear Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington say that trading the reigning National League Rookie of the Year to give the last-place club an influx of much-needed position player talent is «not at all part of the conversation.»

When someone relayed Cherington's comments to him, the 22-year-old ace laughed.

«It doesn't affect anything,» Skenes told The Associated Press late Friday night after the Pirates rallied for a 6-5, 10-inning win over Milwaukee. «Anybody can play GM.»

If Skenes, who celebrated his first anniversary in the majors two weeks ago, has learned anything during his rise to stardom over the past three years, it's that noise is not the same as news.

«There's no substance to just all that talk that you hear on social media and news outlets and stuff like that,» Skenes said.

It's one of the many reasons he makes it a point to try and block all the noise out.

There could very well be a time when Skenes moves on, either by Pittsburgh's choice or his own. That time, at least to Skenes, is not coming anytime soon.

Pittsburgh is last in the major leagues in runs with 157, and no high-profile position player prospect ready to walk into the home clubhouse at PNC Park as a big leaguer anytime soon.

«Ben's job is to create a winning team and a winning organization,» Skenes said. «So, what it looks like to him (is up to him).»

Skenes added if the Pirates decided to make some sort of highly unusual move by trading one of the sport's brightest young stars, even though he remains under team control for the rest of the decade and isn't even eligible for arbitration until 2027, he wouldn't take it personally.

«I don't expect it to happen,» Skenes stressed. "(But Cherington) is going