LAS VEGAS — On day one of baseball’s annual General Managers Meetings, crowds of media surrounded the presidents of the baseball operations for three big-market clubs — the Mets’ David Stearns, the Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman and the Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski.

Nearby, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington had a more subdued availability. He spent 10 minutes chatting with MLB.com, then took a few questions from two Minnesota reporters about the Twins recently hiring former Buccos skipper Derek Shelton for their managerial opening.

NJ Advance Media waited to get Cherington alone, then brought up something that Cherington didn’t know about the face of his franchise:

All-Star right-hander Paul Skenes , the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young favorite, has been telling Pirates t

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