A one-of-a-kind talent, the Pirates haven’t had this hype around a pitcher since maybe Gerrit Cole. Paul Skenes is that guy right now. He is hitting triple digits consistently, painting corners, and doing it all with that bulldog presence on the mound. Honestly, his debut season already had flashes of dominance, and now with year two, he’s got a real shot to make that leap into ace territory. Now, what comes along is money, fame, hype, and apparently a massive sale of his rookie card.
The hype around Skenes contributed to his rookie card being sold at auction for an astounding $1.11 million. And this has set a new benchmark for modern baseball collectibles! Yes, as ridiculous as it sounds, it’s true. This unique 2024 Topps Chrome Update, featuring a patch from Skenes’ jersey worn during his major league debut and his autograph, made the collectors go gaga. The bid even dwarfs Skenes’ salary. Can you believe that?
But what does Skenes feel about all these? “It’s a piece of paper to me.”
Skenes seems unbothered with his card, which made millions from the market. However, he seems to be overwhelmed by the one who won the bid. “We still don’t know who the kid is or the family is, but I do think they’re going to come out to a game at some point,” Skenes shared. “I want to meet them. I hope that they want to meet me and it’s going to be just a cool, no-camera, nobody-knows-about-it kind of thing.”
It is surprising for Skenes as well how a piece of paper can cause all the hubbub among fans!
But let’s be honest here for one sec! The buyer might have made the right choice. With the form Skenes is showing, his card will fetch better money in the future. So, that’s an investment, probably! His performance against the Nationals yesterday just made a point about what Paul Skenes can bring to the table going ahead.
(Keep an eye on this space about what is projected from Skenes)
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