{"id":59080,"date":"2023-06-27T14:00:18","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T18:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=59080"},"modified":"2023-06-26T21:48:15","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T01:48:15","slug":"mccutchen-trade-rumors-black-eye-for-pirates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/06\/27\/mccutchen-trade-rumors-black-eye-for-pirates\/","title":{"rendered":"McCutchen Trade Rumors A Potential Black Eye for Pirates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once the best team in the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> have fallen hard out of contention. They’ve lost 12-of-13 and have played to a 15-34 record since that hot 20-8 start to the year. This recent losing streak has seemed to cement the Pirates as sellers heading into the trade deadline in a little more than a month. It feels this is management’s plan from the beginning of the season coming to fruition. It has even caused some trade rumors surrounding Andrew McCutchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

McCutchen returned to Pittsburgh on a one-year deal this past off-season after the Pirates traded him for Bryan Reynolds<\/a> and Kyle Crick<\/a> prior to the 2018 season. Reynolds has been a stud for the Pirates so, in theory, the trade worked out. However, it is hard to justify trading a player of McCutchen’s meaning to the Pirates’ organization.<\/p>\n

Every off-season that McCutchen had been available, fans took to social media begging for the Pirates to re-sign the former NL MVP. After years of the outcry falling on deaf ears, he finally came back to Pittsburgh this off-season.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh’s start to the season had fans hoping that maybe the Pirates arrived a year or two ahead of schedule. That is not going to be the case. Their current play has them hoping they can simply improve upon their 60-some win totals of the past few seasons. The typical reality around Pittsburgh is starting to set in: the Pirates will sell at the trade deadline.<\/p>\n

\n

The #Pirates<\/a> are likely to be deadline sellers. <\/p>\n

Andrew McCutchen, enjoying his best offensive year since 2015, is a fascinating trade candidate. <\/p>\n

McCutchen, 36, has never played in a World Series.<\/p>\n

One option for Bucs: a summer trade and winter reunion.@MLBNetwork<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 26, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n