For the first time since 2009, fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates will look to the outfield and not see Andrew McCutchen roaming the grass in PNC Park. The team needs to find someone to fill the hole in the outfield and there are some options remaining on the free agent market and also perhaps through a trade.
The inevitable has come to fruition, the day that fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates were dreading. The team officially parted ways with Andrew McCutchen on January 15th, sending him to the San Francisco Giants for Bryan Reynolds and Kyle Crick, two players who will hopefully be part of the next winning roster in Pittsburgh. However the departure of McCutchen leaves a fairly large hole in the roster of this year’s team.
But the trade of McCutchen leaves a big hole in the outfield. Assuming that Starling Marte is going to shift to centerfield in 2018 and Gregory Polanco will move over to left field, the team needs to find someone to play right field. While McCutchen’s heir apparent, Austin Meadows, should make his debut at some point this summer, he has struggled at the AAA level and has been dealing with injuries for the last few years. So it would be in the team’s best interest to take the money they saved by dealing McCutchen ($12 million, as they are paying $2.5 million of his contract in 2018) and sign an outfielder who is still on the free agent market. While Lorenzo Cain would look great in black and gold, it’s hard to fathom the team spending the money on him.
So what still available free agents could be in play for the Pirates, or better yet, would make the most sense for the team? Here are three players who should be on the short list of options for the Pirates with just about a month to go before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Eduardo Nunez
Eduardo Nunez is one of the most intriguing players without a team for 2018. Nunez logged innings at second base, third base, shortstop and right and left field in 2017, so he could easily move into a super utility role if the team decides to trade Josh Harrison. He slashed .313/.341/.460 with the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox last year and in 2016 went .288/.325/.432, so he does have some pop in hit bat. He does not walk a ton (just 3.7 percent last year), but he also does not strike out a lot either (11 percent). He logged just 21 games and 163.2 innings in the outfield as a member of the Giants and had a -4 DRS, so he appears to be better off at an infield position. However, he would represent a slight defensive upgrade over McCutchen if the team did decide to pursue him.
Austin Jackson
It’s been a few years since Austin Jackson was starting regularly for in the MLB, but he still could provide some value for a team that needs an outfielder. He may not be the player that he was when he was with the Detroit Tigers in the early 2010s, but his performance with the Cleveland Indians last year indicates that he still has some gas in the tank. In 318 plate appearances, Jackson slashed .318/.387/.482 to go along with a fantastic wRC+ of 131. One area that Jackson did show improvement was his eye at the plate. He posted a BB/K rate of .52 last season, much better than his career average of .35. So perhaps Jackson made significant improvements or his limited exposure helped him put up better numbers. Defensively, Jackson would be an upgrade over McCutchen as he posted a DRS of -2 last year, but he still has room to improve in the field.
Brandon Nimmo
An interesting name that has been coming up in connection to the Pirates is Brandon Nimmo. With reports that Harrison has asked the team to trade him, the New York Mets could be a potential landing spot for the fan favorite second baseman, and the Pirates had already been in talks with the Mets regarding Nimmo when they inquired about McCutchen. Nimmo, a first round draft pick in 2011, has had a difficult time finding playing time due to the crowded outfield in New York, which is one reason that he might be expendable. In 215 plate appearances with the parent club last year, Nimmo slashed .260/.379/.418 to go along with five home runs. Nimmo compiled a -2 DRS, so like others listed above he would be a slight upgrade over McCutchen in the outfield.
Click here for an in-depth look on how the Mets and Pirates line up as trade partners, and what might need to happen for Pittsburgh to land Nimmo
With so many free agents still looking for teams and with most pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training facilities in about a month, it is only a matter of time until players begin signing contracts. The Pirates need to find a replacement for McCutchen, either via trade or free agency since the internal options are not going to be able to come close to replicating his production. Of the free agents profiled, Dyson makes the most sense if the team is looking for someone to strictly play the outfield. Nunez would give the team more flexibility as he can play multiple positions and can move when/if Meadows get promoted. However, the Pirates should absolutely pursue Nimmo in a trade. He is younger, comes with years of control and would also allow the Pirates to get out from under Harrison’s contract. Even if the team needs to come some of the money that he is owed, that should not be an obstacle. If they were able to do it to move McCutchen, they absolutely should take the same approach to Harrison.
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