Paul Skenes stands out as one of the top performers in the whole league, and this is just during his second year playing professional baseball. Despite that, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ star might start shattering records before he reaches his peak performance years.
One achievement that Skenes might very well surpass is the highest total compensation as well as the greatest average yearly salary ever awarded to a pitcher in league annals.
Tim Britton from The Athletic has recently forecasted that Skenes could aim for a contract.
valued at $44 million annually in the coming years.
The figure of $27.5 million serves as the foundation for Skenes’ earnings during his free agency period, beginning in 2030 at the start of his age-28 season,” Britton noted. “However, Skenes could make a strong argument for earning significantly more. As the top overall draft pick entering the professional circuit, he had considerably greater bargaining power compared to Strider, who inked his agreement just about two years post-being selected in the fourth round—thus lacking similar negotiating strength. Additionally, Skenes demonstrated his skills prominently in the major leagues, unlike Yamamoto at the time he agreed to terms with the Dodgers.
Skenes might aim for $44 million each free-agency period. This figure would surpass the previous high average annual value set by Max Scherzer and matched by Justin Verlander in their brief contracts with the Mets, and it aligns closely with Gerrit Cole’s longer-term average annual value with the Yankees when accounting for inflation adjustments.
As long as Skenes remains in good health, he can likely command this level of compensation. Should he do so, it isn’t difficult to picture him shattering all previous contract records for pitchers.
In that scenario, it suggests that Skenes might be negotiating with another squad. The Pirates would most likely not offer a player more than $40 million annually — even someone as exceptional as Skenes, who is described as a generational talent.
More MLB:
Cubs Star Expected to Ink Record-Breaking 11-Year, $366 Million Deal
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