Justin Verlander's brother Ben throws shade at Pirates after Paul Skenes reveals contract extension status

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the least active teams in the offseason despite finishing 76-86 in 2024, a sixth consecutive losing season for the franchise.

While the team has not made any notable additions, keeping hold of pitching sensation Paul Skenes is expected to be the priority for Pittsburgh. However, the Skenes' comments on his Pirates future have created a bit of angst among Pirates fans.

During the PiratesFest, Skenes was asked about a potential long-term extension talks with the Pirates, he responded:

"Haven't heard a whole lot. I don't know haven't given too much thought."

Veteran MLB pitcher Justin Verlander's brother, Ben, an analyst, shared a clip of Skenes' quotes, throwing shade at the Pirates.

"Classic Pirates," Ben Verlander wrote in his post.

Ben's comment might be alluding to the Pirates trading All-Star pitchers Gerrit Cole and Joe Musgrove over the last decade. The All-Star hurler is under club control for five more seasons and becomes eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season.

Paul Skenes was the top pick in the 2023 draft and the young flamethrower lived up to the reputation after his MLB debut for the Pirates last year. The 22-year-old was the talk of the town with the incredible control of his electric 100-mph fastball that rattled some of the best hitters last season.

Paul Skenes expects a bigger role with the team next season

His stellar debut season saw him win the National League Rookie of the Year award. Such was his dominance from the mound that Skenes finished as one of three finalists for the NL Cy Young award.

Although Paul Skenes had a dream rookie year with the Pirates in 2024, the LSU alum wants to have a bigger role with the team and in the clubhouse.

"I don't know what the character of that will be, but I'll have probably a little more say -- and obviously having established myself a little bit -- but there's still a long way to go,” Skenes said. “I'm not going to overstep, but winning is winning. We've got to do what we've got to do to make it happen.

If the Pirates are unable to compete in the next few seasons, a move away from Pittsburgh could be on the cards for Skenes.