Dodgers Predicted to Land Paul Skenes in Future Blockbuster Move

Any time a star player around the MLB becomes available or is even speculated to be moved, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to enter the picture. Even if Los Angeles isn't actually planning to go after the player, it benefits teams and players to have them in the mix.

The Dodgers typically at least check in on players, but the team only truly goes all-in after certain guys. Los Angeles has done a good job investing in stars who they believe will also be culture fits within the clubhouse, leading to success on the field.

But one guy that has been linked to the Dodgers consistently since he entered the league is ace Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Skenes is seen as one of the best pitchers in the game today, and even though he has multiple years left on his contract before free agency, trade rumors have gone wild around him.

Part of this is due to how poor the Pirates have been on the field in recent years. Teams like the Dodgers or New York Yankees have been the most heavily talked about with Skenes, and eventually, he could be moved to one of these clubs.

But Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez of The California Post have predicted the Dodgers to land Skenes down the line. Both outline his being from Southern California as one reason why Los Angeles could land the Pirates star at some point.

"The Pirates are one of the thriftiest and worst-run franchises in baseball, and the widespread assumption is that Skenes won’t finish his career with them," they wrote. "Speculation of that intensified when the Pirates recently signed rookie Konnor Griffin to a nine-year contract extension. 'He’s gonna be the face of the Pirates for a long time,' Skenes said. What about Skenes? Does he plan on being there?

"Skenes is under club control through the 2029 season. At that point, Ohtani will be 35 years old, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be able to exercise an escape clause in his deal, and Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow could be out of contract. If the next collective bargaining agreement allows them to, the Dodgers could be backing up the Brink’s truck for Skenes."

Why Paul Skenes Makes Sense For Dodgers

Since entering the league, Skenes has taken baseball by storm, posting numbers not seen in a long time. Over his first two seasons in the league, Skenes put up ERAs under 2.00, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2024 and the National League Cy Young award last season.

This season, his numbers have been a little inflated, mainly due to an unlucjky debut. But overall, he has posted an ERA of 3.18 over seven starts for Pittsburgh.

The right-hander has electric stuff on the mound, and sometimes he can be completely unhittable. Skenes has single-handedly helped the Pirates become somewhat relevant around the league, despite the team being run poorly for years.

In addition to Skenes being from California, the Dodgers will have a lot of money coming off the books when he can become a free agent after the 2029 season. Both Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell could be out of contracts, and the Dodgers would need new starters for the rotation.

Los Angeles could make a very strong offer to poach Skenes from the Pirates, or even make a trade for him before he can hit free agency.

If Skenes were to give Pittsburgh the idea that he won't re-sign with them, the team may be better off moving him for future assets. This is also where the Dodgers could come into play, since they have a very strong farm system that the Pirates would surely love to pick from.

Skenes will be 28 when he hits free agency, so his prime will still be intact, and the Dodgers could add one of the best pitchers over the last few years. Los Angeles is always looking for ways to improve the roster, and Skenes could be next in line of stars added to the team.

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