Starting pitcher Paul Skenes and center fielder Oneil Cruz are the only two players the Pittsburgh Pirates consider off limits in trades, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Paul Skenes is considered one of the most promising pitchers in Major League Baseball At just 23 years old, he has a 1.94 ERA and has accumulated 125 strikeouts in 116 innings this

The Chicago Cubs—who spent most of the 2025 season’s first half atop the NL Central—have gone 5-5 in their last ten games, allowing the Milwaukee Brewers to climb into first place, while sending North Side fans into their traditional mid-summer tizzy. And pitching is the main culprit.