Heartbreaking Paul Skenes Reaction After Phillies Sweep Sparks Trade Fear in Pirates Fans: “He Looks So Done”

Noy every team enters the season with October dreams in MLB. For some, the fight isn’t for a postseason berth but to stay afloat in the standings and avoid another year lost to irrelevance. Among these struggling franchises, the Pirates, Rockies, and White Sox are clear examples. While each faces its uphill battle, it’s the Pirates who carry the heaviest burden and the highest stakes. Guess what, their stake is on Paul Skenes!

Well, with mounting losses and little sign of consistent progress, the fear in the Pirates is growing louder. Will the team’s prized asset, Skenes, become collateral damage in another lost season? After being swept by the Phillies, Skenes’ post-series reaction hinted at a troubling possibility. Now that could haunt Pirates fans for seasons to come.

just an absolutely brutal series.

hang in there pirates twitter pic.twitter.com/fE4bVM8HTm

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) May 18, 2025

Yesterday, the Pirates went down once again at the plate, falling 1-0 to the Phillies. Skenes was looking dejected and clueless, standing at the dugout after the game. It is more painful for the fans to see how the loss wasted a stellar performance from Skenes. Despite delivering a dominant outing, Skenes received no run support, as the Pirates’ bats fell silent in a game that underscored their ongoing offensive struggles.

Well, the loss sealed a series sweep for the Phillies, who previously defeated the Pirates 8-4 on May 16 and 5-2 on May 17. Now, it marks the fifth time this season Pittsburgh has been swept in a series. With this latest setback, the Pirates now drop to a dismal 15-32 on the season, deepening concerns not only about their trajectory this year but about the future of their most valuable asset in Skenes.

According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, a generational talent like Skenes deserves a winning team, further fueling speculation that the Pirates may look to trade their prized rookie to maximize value before discontent grows deeper.

That sentiment only intensified after the Phillies series, where fans couldn’t ignore the look on Skenes’ face following the 1-0 loss. Ahh, a blend of frustration that many now interpret as a sign of an impending farewell. Well, you will also agree that for a player posting a 2.44 ERA with 62 strikeouts on the season, a better supporting lineup should be in place.

Fans are fearing an impending Skenes’ trade

With every game and series the Pirates are losing, it raises a haunting question for the fans. How much longer can they expect a star like Skenes to stay?

he looks so done with us

— Luke Ganoe (@steel_city_crtv) May 18, 2025

Yes, Paul Skenes does look done with the team! It is not expected from a team to win all 162 games, but not something that the Pirates are offering. The players are lacking grit, and it seems like nothing is falling into place. Yesterday, Skenes delivered a stellar performance, pitching eight innings with 9 SOs and allowing just one run. However, despite his efforts, the Pirates suffered a 1-0 loss to the Phillies, underscoring the lack of support for the Skenes. Baseball is a team game, and individual brilliance can’t win you games every day. So, Skenes can’t do much here other than being helpless and done!

“Dude is on the verge of tears. He deserves a real team.” Do you remember that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was quoted as hoping to have a winning team in place? Why? Because the Blue Jays are not a contending team for the World Series and a player like Guerrero deserves better. The same applies to Skenes. The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year has a 2.06 ERA from his first 29 starts. This is is lowest for any pitcher with a minimum of 20 starts. Moreover, the Pirates are currently ranked 18th in terms of ERA (4.14). In contrast, Skenes is leading the team roster with a 2.63 ERA. Now you can differentiate the quality of Skenes and the rest lineup in the team. Surely Skenes deserves a better lineup.

While a few fans are skeptical about Skenes staying back with the Pirates, the rest are assured that he is going to bid adieu. “This man is GONE,” one fan remarked. Apart from the poor show by the team, Passan projects that Skenes could command a contract exceeding $500 million as a free agent. Now that’s a figure that would be unprecedented for a pitcher. Moreover, given the Pirates’ historical reluctance to engage in high-value contracts, retaining Skenes long-term seems improbable. Result? A new home for the rookie sensation. 

This tells the story better. Rest of the team headed to the clubhouse and he can't even move
https://t.co/5dKLP94suk

— Ethan Fisher (@efisher330) May 18, 2025

Now, here comes one of the most logical views by a fan. The clip clearly shows how the rest of the lineup is heading back to the clubhouse after the game, while Skenes looks on. This shows the difference in expectations from the players. Skenes is putting everything on the line to win a game for the team, and it’s surely frustrating to see that the rest of the lineup might not think the same way. This is paving for another reason for Paul Skenes to look for a team with a more dedicated lineup.

This is the face of the franchise, broken and distraught after the best performance of his professional career. The Pirates are an absolute embarrassment to everything Pittsburgh represents. https://t.co/NQTKRRSvvh

— Ezra Fisher (@big_ejf95) May 18, 2025

There’s definitely something wrong with a team where the top performer looks dejected after a game. Well, Skenes is a rare breed in the Pirates clubhouse, standing out not just for his talent but for his mindset, work ethic, and presence. From day one, he arrived in Pittsburgh as a fully developed pitcher, showcasing MLB-ready velocity, command, and a polished pitch mix that few rookies possess. Rookie of the year just in the first year of MLB Debut! Unlike many of his teammates who are still developing or struggling to find consistency, Skenes exudes star power and confidence, drawing national attention for his performance.

In conclusion, we can only hope that, rather than focusing on trading Paul Skenes, the Pirates should rebuild their team. Yes, a good amount of investment is required, but hey, you can’t get fruit if you don’t take care of the tree.

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