Jim Bowden just sent Pirates fans over the edge with Yankees-Paul Skenes trade comments

We can't be entirely sure if the New York Yankees alleged trade package for Paul Skenes was for real, but what we do know is that with all of the developments from last year's trade deadline to the present day, the Yankees might have been the ones who would've looked back on the deal with regret.

New York giving up Cam Schlittler, an emerging ace and chief provocateur, plus a phenom in Carlos Lagrange, George Lombard Jr., and Spencer Jones, seems like an awful lot to lose, even if the prize is a soon-to-be 24-year-old who is the best pitcher in the game today. We're not alone in those sentiments; Jim Bowden of The Athletic agrees.

"Based on the report that's there, the Pirates should have gone ahead and closed the deal immediately," Bowden said. He'd gone on to call Schlittler a bonafide ace, Lagrange either a top-of-the-rotation starter or an impact closer who should be pitching in All-Star games "shortly," and then praised Lombard Jr.'s all-around game. When it came to Jones, Bowden had less conviction, but noted the 30-40 homer potential, as well as him being a threat to steal 30 bases (though he questioned the massive strikeout rate).

Pirates fans don't want to hear about Yankees' Paul Skenes trade package being 'too good'

Pirates fans were not happy. They weren't alone. Even Blue Jays fans were out there chiming in (because, of course, they would).

Bowden is right in his assessment of this Yankees' trade package. Schlittler, on a pitch count, just finished slicing and dicing the Mariners and has allowed only three base runners (zero walks) through two starts. It might be surprising, because he's had his share of shockingly bad takes in the past, but that doesn't mean that he's completely wrong here.

The most salient point that Bowden made was that eventually Skenes will move on from Pittsburgh. They won't be able to afford whatever the record-setting contract he'll command when he hits free agency ahead of 2029, so while he's seemingly impossible to value properly, getting something versus losing him eventually for nothing besides a comp pick makes a lot of sense.

Bowden even doubled down on this sentiment. He said, "If I'm Pittsburgh and I got offered those four guys that I could control for six years and not have to pay for three years. I have a better chance of winning with those four guys, and I have a better chance of winning longer with those four guys."

He might be right. Theoretically, after Schlittler, only one of Lagrange, Lombard, and Jones would need to reach their ceiling for the Pirates to be better positioned to win than they are with Skenes alone. If all four did, then wow, they might be able to put together a prolonged run of contention, and that's something that seems unlikely in their current state with Skenes.

Pirates fans will eventually need to come to terms with the reality that trading Skenes is in their best interest. It might even be to the Yankees at some point in time. As for New York, they might want to wait until he's closer to free agency and the price comes down to avoid giving up so much for his services.