With their odds of making the MLB playoffs below 1%, the Pittsburgh Pirates could easily justify shutting down their electrifying ace, right-hander Paul Skenes. This is Skenes’ first full professional season. He has thrown 125 1/3 innings between the majors and minors, nearly as many as he did a year ago between Louisiana State and his brief debut in the Pirates’ system. By ending Skenes’ brilliant rookie campaign, team officials could cite the protection of his long-term health and preservation of him for a potential playoff run in 2025.
They also could operate with a compelling ulterior motive — the possible prevention of Skenes from finishing first or second in the National League rookie of the year voting, an outcome that would deprive him of gaining a full year of service time and keep him in Pittsburgh for at least one additional season. The Pirates currently have no such plans, according to sources briefed on their thinking. They have no set innings limit for Skenes. The only restriction they are considering, assuming Skenes stays healthy, is potentially shortening his outings. The Chicago White Sox are taking just that approach with left-hander Garrett Crochet, who is working as a starter for the first time in his professional career. Skenes, 22, did not make his major league debut until May 11, but could automatically earn a full year of service under a rule adopted by the league and players’ union in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement. The rule, designed to discourage teams from manipulating the service time of top young players, rewards the top two finishers in each league’s rookie of the year voting, regardless of how many days they spend in the majors.
Thus, the temptation for the Pirates to shut down Skenes is not insignificant. A sixth consecutive losing season would sting even more if the Pirates also lost a year of club control over their young ace. Even worse for the Pirates, under another rule adopted in the 2022 agreement, the team would not even receive a draft pick if Skenes won rookie of the year.
For a team to secure the pick, it must include a consensus top-100 prospect on its opening day roster or promote him within the first two weeks, then benefit from the player either winning rookie or the year or finishing top three in the most valuable
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