PITTSBURGH >> The Pittsburgh Pirates are reeling, and just about everything is on the table for a last-place team that has already fired its manager and packed a half-decade’s worth of public-relations missteps into two months.

Well, except for one thing: trading ace Paul Skenes.

Asked on Thursday if flipping the reigning National League Rookie of the Year is a consideration for a club woefully lacking in impactful position-player prospects, general manager Ben Cherington gave an atypically brief response.

“No, it’s not part of the conversation at all,” Cherington said flatly.

Pittsburgh entered a four-game series against NL Central rival Milwaukee already 11 games out of playoff position, thanks in large part to an offense that ranks last or next-to-last in nearly every major category: from runs, slugging percentage and OPS (all 30th) to home runs and batting average (both 29th).

The Pirates have also scored four runs or fewer in 26 straight games, tying a major league record set by four other teams, most recently the then-California Angels in 1969.

Not exactly what the team had in mind during spring training, when everyone from Cherington to Skenes to manager Derek Shelton — who was jettisoned two weeks ago and replaced by Don Kelly — talked about the need for Pittsburgh to take another step forward after consecutive 76-86 seasons.

Instead, the Pirates have been stuck in reverse from opening day, even when Skenes starts. Pittsburgh is just 3-5 in his eight starts, the latest loss a 1-0 setback in Philadelphia last weekend in which Skenes limited the Phillies to three hits while throwing the first complete game of his career.

Skenes, who turns 23 next week, has been all-in on the Pirates since being called up a year ago. He’s also under team control for the rest of the decade and won’t become arbitration-eligible until after 2026, making him one of the biggest bargains in the majors.

While Pittsburgh has locked down players like two-time All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to long-term deals, they are a pittance by MLB standards compared to what Skenes might command one day should his career continue on its current trajectory.

The Pirates are perennially one of the most frugal teams in the majors. Their opening day payroll this season was just under $88 million. Only the Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay, the Athletics and Miami spent less.

Even so, Pittsburgh has received little return on its investment. While the bullpen has been a bit of a mess, the starting rotation has been solid. Skenes (2.44), Mitch Keller (3.88), Andrew Heaney (2.91) and Bailey Falter (3.50) all have ERAs under 4.00, yet they also have a combined record of 11-21.

The issue has been a punchless lineup that is largely nondescript outside of Reynolds, franchise icon Andrew McCutchen and center fielder Oneil Cruz.

Yet it’s telling that while Pittsburgh has one of the deeper pool of pitching prospects in the majors the cupboard of homegrown position players who are on the cusp of the majors remains pretty bare five-plus years into Cherington’s tenure.