Dodgers Would Land Paul Skenes in Wild 4-Player Blockbuster Trade Idea

In a stunning trade scenario that would send shockwaves through Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers are linked to a blockbuster 4-player trade idea that could land them one of the most electrifying young pitchers in recent memory: Paul Skenes. The 22-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates phenom, who has drawn comparisons to Stephen Strasburg and Justin Verlander, is reportedly at the center of a hypothetical deal that would reshape both franchises for years to come.

Paul Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, has lived up to the immense hype surrounding him. After dominating at LSU, he made a seamless transition to professional baseball, dazzling scouts and fans with his 100+ mph fastball, devastating slider, and elite command. In his first season with the Pirates’ organization, Skenes posted an ERA under 2.50 across Double-A and Triple-A, with over 14 strikeouts per nine innings. He quickly cemented his status as the top pitching prospect in the sport.

For the Dodgers, the possibility of acquiring a generational arm like Skenes is tantalizing. Despite already boasting a stacked rotation headlined by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, and Walker Buehler (once healthy), the allure of adding Skenes to the mix could give Los Angeles a rotation that rivals the greatest in MLB history. But a player of Skenes’ caliber won’t come cheap.

The proposed trade would involve the Dodgers sending a major haul to Pittsburgh: including top prospect Dalton Rushing, rising outfielder Andy Pages, electric right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan, and versatile infielder Michael Busch. The package reflects the cost of doing business when it comes to prying away a talent like Skenes, especially from a rebuilding Pirates team that sees him as their future ace.

For Pittsburgh, the rationale would be rooted in depth and long-term sustainability. The Pirates have shown flashes of competitiveness but remain years away from true contention. Trading one star for multiple MLB-ready players could fill multiple holes across the diamond. Rushing, a power-hitting catcher, is blocked by Will Smith in L.A. and would slot in as Pittsburgh’s future behind the plate. Pages brings immediate power potential in the outfield, Busch adds infield flexibility and a polished bat, and Sheehan has the stuff to become a mid-rotation starter or high-leverage bullpen weapon.

From the Dodgers’ perspective, it’s a classic win-now move. While Rushing and Pages are highly regarded, Los Angeles has depth in its farm system and the financial muscle to augment the roster in free agency. Skenes, on a rookie deal, would be a cost-controlled star who could anchor the rotation for the next six-plus years. It would be the type of gamble only an aggressive, championship-hungry front office would entertain.

This isn’t the first time the Dodgers have pulled off blockbuster trades. In 2018, they acquired Manny Machado. In 2020, they stunned the league by trading for Mookie Betts. More recently, they landed Tyler Glasnow and signed Shohei Ohtani to a historic \$700 million contract. The front office, led by Andrew Friedman, has a track record of taking calculated risks to stay at the forefront of MLB’s elite.

That said, a trade for Skenes would carry more long-term implications than those past moves. Unlike a rental or even a star with a few years of control, Skenes represents the kind of pitcher a team builds a dynasty around. His stuff, poise, and work ethic suggest he could anchor rotations for a decade. Giving that up would be a seismic decision for the Pirates, one that would require absolute conviction in the return.

Some insiders have questioned whether Pittsburgh would even entertain such an offer, let alone pull the trigger. However, the Pirates have historically been a small-market team hesitant to spend big or extend stars. If they determine they can’t retain Skenes long-term, flipping him now for a bounty might be their best path forward.

Fan reaction, naturally, would be explosive on both sides. Dodgers fans would celebrate the arrival of another superstar, imagining World Series rotations featuring Skenes, Yamamoto, and Glasnow mowing down October lineups. Pirates fans, however, might riot over the loss of the franchise’s brightest hope since Gerrit Cole.

Analytically, the deal could be justified for both sides. The Dodgers are in win-now mode with Betts, Freeman, and Ohtani all in their primes. Adding an ace-level starter under team control enhances their title odds tremendously. For the Pirates, quantity might trump quality—four starting-caliber players might raise their floor more than one ace.

Still, blockbuster trades rarely go down like this. Prospects, no matter how elite, are tough to move, especially for a pitcher with as much buzz as Skenes. Injuries, development hiccups, and public relations nightmares are all risks both sides would have to weigh.

Yet, if there’s one team bold enough and deep enough to make the call, it’s the Dodgers. And if there’s one player who could justify that call, it’s Paul Skenes.

Stay tuned—if the Dodgers make a move like this, it could mark the beginning of a new dynasty in Los Angeles and a defining pivot for Pittsburgh’s long rebuild.