Overview
- Former MLB GM Jim Bowden said on the Foul Territory podcast that Pittsburgh should have accepted a reported Yankees four-prospect offer for Paul Skenes if it was real.
- The discussion follows Jon Heyman’s report that New York was prepared last July to deal Cam Schlittler, George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones and Carlos Lagrange.
- Bowden argued Pittsburgh should favor six years of cost control on four players because Skenes could seek a free-agent deal near $400 million.
- He praised the reported pieces, projecting Schlittler as a future No. 1 starter, Lagrange as a top-end arm or impact closer, Lombard as a plus defender in the infield and Jones as a power-speed threat with strikeout risk.
- No trade is in place or being discussed, and multiple outlets report the Pirates are keeping Skenes for now with several seasons of team control remaining.