The 2026 All-Star break was a big success for both the Boston Red Sox and MLB, with Willson Contreras heavily contributing to an epic Home Run Derby and the American League putting on a pitching masterclass en route to a 4-0 win in the Midsummer Classic.
And yet, one moment that truly stood out happened off the field, prior to the All-Star Game. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes couldn't throw during the game due to a scheduling conflict (he started the final day of the first half), yet he still attended the event and took some time to do interviews with the media.
In that scrum, one media personality interjected during one of Skenes' answers, calling him a "future Yankee." The right-hander responded with a look of absolute bewilderment, appearing almost offended at the suggestion.
Reporter: "Just got the best interview of all time with Paul Skenes. Future Yankee."
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 13, 2026
Paul Skenes: *Confused* 😂 pic.twitter.com/77VD2HSRsl
If that reaction is anything to go by, perhaps the Yankees don't have quite the same gravitational appeal they once did with the brightest stars in baseball.
Paul Skenes' dismissal of Yankees connection is further proof of their dying appeal to stars
The Yankees' interest in Skenes has widely been reported for some time, even as recently as Opening Day of this season. But, with all due respect to the MLB insiders reporting on such rumors, how exactly is that news?
This guy is the best pitcher in baseball, or at least on the shortlist for that distinction. He won a Rookie of the Year Award in 2024, the Cy Young in 2025, and has been named an All-Star in each of his first three MLB seasons. Even as he's in the midst of a career-worst campaign this year, Skenes is still producing a 2.88 FIP and 29.5% strikeout rate.
Every team on this planet should be interested in Skenes if he becomes available. Calling him a "future Yankee" is like saying LeBron James will retire with the Detroit Pistons. Sure, it could happen, but there's also 29 other teams vying just as hard that could make a very similar (if not better) sales pitch.
Once upon time, that may not have been true. The Yankees were the Evil Empire, built on superstars and championships and an endless supply of money. Now? They've won just one World Series over the past 25 years compared to the Red Sox's four, and their recent track record of attracting (or retaining) superstars isn't exactly sterling.
Just two years have gone by since they watched Juan Soto leave in free agency for their crosstown rival, getting blown out in the bidding in the process. And they were hardly even in the running for Shohei Ohtani when he became available a few offseasons ago. They just haven't been the destination for the league's best players for some time.
That's not to say that they won't eventually land Skenes, but it's clear that the Cy Young winner is nonplussed by the idea. The appeal of joining the Evil Empire has long faded — they are now simply just "the Yankees."
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