If there is one constant this time of year, it is that the New York Yankees are seemingly linked to every star player in MLB rumors. As free agency heats up, there appears to be no shortage of players the team could pursue this offseason.
There is also the trade market, but one superstar made it clear that not all Yankees rumors are true. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes shot down the idea that he wants to play for the Yankees.
“I got shown the tweet and got some texts about it,” Skenes said regarding rumors about his interest in playing for the Yankees during a November 12, 2025, media session, per MLB.com. “I didn’t think much about it. I’m on the Pirates. My goal is to win with the Pirates.
“I don’t know where that [report] came from. I don’t know the reporter. I don’t know the player that supposedly said that. But the goal is to win, and the goal is to win in Pittsburgh.”
Let’s dive into the latest Yankees rumors and how Skenes initially was linked to New York.
Pirates Pitcher Paul Skenes Linked to Yankees Trade Rumors
The rumors stem from a NJ.com report quoting an anonymous Pirates teammate. Skenes is “hoping for a trade,” according to the anonymous Pittsburgh player.
“According to a Pirates teammate who recently spoke with NJ Advance Media, Skenes has ‘no confidence the Pirates ever are going to win’ with him in Pittsburgh, and he’s ‘hoping for a trade’ well before he can become a free agent after the 2029 season,” NJ.com’s Randy Miller wrote in a November 12, story titled, “Paul Skenes has a Yankees dream: ‘Trust me,’ teammate says — and Pirates ‘understand it.’”
“’Trust me, he wants to play for the Yankees,’ the Skenes teammate said. ‘I’ve heard him say it multiple times.’”
Paul Skenes’ Projected Market Value Is a 13-Year, $506 Million Contract
Skenes is on a one-year, $820,000 contract in a pre-arbitration deal. The star pitcher’s next lucrative deal looms as the ace is headed for a massive pay day. Spotrac projects Skenes’ market value is a 13-year, $506 million contract.
Despite Skenes’ comments, it is unlikely to quiet the Yankees rumors. New York likely needs to turn to alternative options if the club wants to improve the team’s pitching.
Yankees Rumors: New York Pushing to Improve Pitching in MLB Free Agency
Landing Skenes may be a long shot, but the Yankees are making it clear the club plans to improve the team’s pitching this offseason. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman labeled the team’s starting pitching as “an area for us to focus on.”
“Hopefully, health blesses us in the rotation in the early portion of February, March and April,” Cashman said of the team’s pitching rotation, per The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. “But you can’t count on that.
“We’ll be exploring how to protect ourselves so we’re not taking on water early because our rotation is compromised out of the gate.”
As rumors swirl about Cody Bellinger’s future as well as potential alternative options for the Yankees, New York continues to remain focused on adding depth at pitching. It just may not be a splashy move like making a blockbuster trade to acquire Skenes.
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