"Nip it in the bud!" Those famous words from deputy sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show were surely on the mind of Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager Ben Cherington at this week's GM Meetings when he quickly stomped out the notion of trading Paul Skenes this offseason.
“He (Skenes) is going to be a Pirate in 2026,” Cherington told FanSided's Robert Murray. Skenes — who was the subject of much trade speculation throughout Major League Baseball ahead of the July 31 deadline — will be staying put this winter despite the absolute haul the Pirates could receive if they made the soon-to-be Cy Young Award-winner available.