The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the daybreak of a brand new period. After an aggressive offseason, they’ve assembled what seems to be like their most talented roster in years. They even have thrilling younger expertise about to blossom in Konnor Griffin, Bubba Chandler and Jhostynxon Garcia.
Unfortunately, one face is notoriously absent at spring coaching this yr: Andrew McCutchen’s.
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With Opening Day simply three weeks away, the 39-year-old former MVP remains unsigned. While he has expressed a powerful want to return for one more season, the Pirates have to date opted to not re-sign him, and no different crew has scooped him up.
If Pittsburgh does get pleasure from a pleasant turnaround this yr, it will likely be unlucky timing if he doesn’t get to be part of it.
Retired sportswriter Bob Smiziz, who beforehand coated the Pirates for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, lamented McCutchen’s scenario on X on Monday. However, he didn’t blame both aspect.
“There is no sadder story in baseball today than that of Andrew McCutchen, a man without a team. Cutch, the most impactful #Pirate of the 21st-century, is desperate to play baseball. But no team wants him. So sad it has come to this,” Smizik wrote.
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“And before anyone starts blaming the #Pirates for this situation please keep in mind that little is known about what dialogue, if any, took place between the team and the player. Which means finger-pointing is pretty much out of the question,” he wrote in a follow-up post.
When somebody within the feedback requested if one other crew in addition to Pittsburgh would contemplate signing McCutchen, Smizik replied, “Only in extreme circumstances.”
McCutchen has achieved quite a bit in his exceptional 17-year profession, however he doesn’t appear to have a lot of a market this winter after slumping to 0.1 WAR and a career-low 95 OPS+ final season.
Perhaps the Pirates will nonetheless discover a approach to deliver him again. But for now, McCutchen remains on the outside wanting in.
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