Building a massive Cubs-Pirates trade package involving Paul Skenes

Just two seasons ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates were gifted one of the greatest college baseball pitchers of all time. Pittsburgh was able to select LSU pitcher Paul Skenes with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Since his arrival in the majors, Skenes has been among the game's best arms. In 33 starts, Skenes has a 2.12 ERA and 232 strikeouts in 195 2/3 innings pitched.

Unfortunately for both Skenes and Pittsburgh, he's been given little to no run support in his starts this season. He has allowed just 17 runs in 10 starts, but the Pirates have lost seven of those 10 starts.

Because of the lack of success when Skenes takes the mound, trade rumors surrounding the Pirates right-hander have been circulating all week. Each and every media outlet has begun to formulate their own trade ideas, and we're gonna do a bit of the same.

As we noted before, a move for Skenes would be an all-time blockbuster move and something Cubs fans would dream of.

Given those dreams, we thought it best to determine what a potential trade offern from the Cubs would like for Skenes.

Cubs receive: RHP Paul Skenes

Pirates receive: OF Owen Caissie (CHC No. 3 prospect), C Moises Ballesteros (CHC No. 4 prospect), RHP Jaxon Wiggins (CHC No. 10 prospect), RHP Jack Neely (CHC No. 16 prospect) LHP Jordan Wicks

Chicago gets one of the best pitchers in baseball to join its rotation for at least the next five years and Pittsburgh gets a massive haul that would be considered one of the greatest returns ever.

Pittsburgh has just two prospects listed as outfielders on their Top 30 prospect list, Estuar Suero and Shalin Polanco, and they are ranked No. 25 and No. 29, respectively. The Pirates also have just one catcher on that list, Omar Alfonzo, and he is ranked No. 19 on the list.

The addition of both Caissie and Ballesteros would be massive for the future of Pirates baseball and could likely ease the pain fans would feel if Skenes were to be moved.

Pittsburgh would also receive three pitchers under team control for the next several season, and for Wicks especially, he could likely join the Pittsburgh rotation with the likelihood of left-hander Andrew Heaney being traded increasing with every start he makes.

The chance of this trade happening is slim to none, but as was shown by the Luka Doncic trade earlier in the NBA season, anything can happen in professional sports, and nothing can ever truly be ruled out.