Only one Paul Skenes major league rookie debut patch autograph card exists.
It can be found in a pack of 2024 Topps Chrome Update cards.
The Pittsburgh Pirates want that card.
Badly.
The team made quite an offer Friday on X — with a bonus thrown in by Skenes’ famous girlfriend — to whomever ends up in possession of the unique and valuable memento of its star pitcher’s first MLB season.
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In exchange for the card, the Pirates are offering two season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, a softball game for 30 people at PNC Park with “Pirates alumni” serving as coaches, and a spring training experience that includes a meet-and-greet event with Skenes, batting practice and warm-ups with the team, two jerseys autographed by Skenes and more.
“We’d love to bring this card home to PNC Park to share with all Buccos fans,” the Pirates wrote Friday on X.
A Topps spokesperson said he’s never known a team to make such an offer for a player’s card, although he added that its not unusual for a player to offer a hefty bounty for one of their own cards.
The Pirates did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the offer. A representative from the team’s sales department said the organization does not publicly disclose the cost of season tickets.
Skenes’ girlfriend, Olivia Dunne, the popular Louisiana State gymnast and influencer, also took to X on Friday to help her boyfriend’s team seal the deal.
“Let’s raise the stakes…the person who finds the card can sit with me at a Pirates game in my suite,” Dunn wrote while reposting the Pirates’ offer for the card.
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Late-night host Seth Meyers also made an offer regarding the Skenes cards.
“If you find it and just let me LOOK at it for a SECOND, 4 VIP tickets to a @LateNightSeth taping,” he posted on X.
Topps started the rookie patch card series last year. Each card is signed by the player featured on it and has attached to it a special patch that player wore on his uniform during his first MLB game. Earlier this year, collectibles dealer Dave & Adam’s Card World paid $150,000 for New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe’s rookie patch card.
This year’s batch came out Thursday as part of the Topps Chrome Update and includes Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages and pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ricky Vanasco and Landon Knack.
The path to greatness starts with a patch 🪡⚾️
Your chance to chase history is here. @MLB Rookie Debut Patch Auto cards are available now in 2024 Topps Chrome Update. pic.twitter.com/4c8YMIjsnY
— Topps (@Topps) November 14, 2024
The Pirates selected Skenes out of LSU with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. After making his MLB debut in May, the El Toro High product went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts. He is a finalist for the National League rookie of the year and Cy Young awards, which will be announced next week.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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