Although it’s not a guarantee that Andrew McCutchen will return to the Pirates next season, the club exercised his $14.5 million option for 2018 on Friday afternoon.
The move prevents McCutchen, the face of the franchise at 31 years old, from being on the open market once free agency begins Tuesday and keeps him under club control for one more season at a reasonable price.
However, the Pirates will now decide whether to keep McCutchen or to trade him during the offseason, since it’s unlikely they’ll be able to sign him to a long-term contract. Additionally, the Pirates declined club options on left-handed reliever Wade LeBlanc and catcher Chris Stewart.
The most likely scenario is that the Pirates will retain McCutchen for 2018 with the plan to shop him at the trade deadline if the club is out of contention. Both Neal Huntington and Clint Hurdle have repeatedly voiced confidence that a core is in place for the Pirates to rebound from missing the playoffs the past two seasons.
There’s no question that McCutchen’s value is as high as it’s been since he was named National League MVP in 2013.
After reaching the Mendoza Line in Atlanta on May 23, McCutchen rediscovered his swing. He batted .411/.505/.689 in June with six home runs, 23 RBI and only 12 strikeouts in 90 at-bats to be named National League Player of the Month.
He then batted .322 with eight home runs and 19 RBI in July before struggling in August and finishing strong in September and October. His career renaissance began while working with hitting coach Jeff Branson on the mechanics of his swing, specifically how rotational his upper body had become over the previous year. So, Hurdle sat McCutchen for two games after he reached .200, although he did pinch-hit on May 24. Upon the center fielder’s return to the lineup, he was placed in the No. 6 spot in the order and batted .380 over the next month.
Despite the forgettable start, McCutchen slashed .279/.363/.486 in his ninth season with the Pirates, including 28 home runs — the second-highest total of his career — and 88 RBI. He batted .312 with runners in scoring position and his .313 average from May 14 to the end of the season ranked eighth in the National League.
The Pirates’ decision on whether to keep or trade him is further clouded by the state of their roster. Neither Gregory Polanco nor Starling Marte played well in 2017. McCutchen’s potential replacement, top prospect Austin Meadows, was limited to 72 games at AAA Indianapolis because of hamstring injuries and is far from being ready for the major leagues.
However, considering the Pirates' projected payroll, a move might need to be made in order to supplement the 25-man roster, particularly the bullpen and bench.
Depending on Jung Ho Kang’s status, the Pirates have between $70 and 75 million committed to nine players for 2018. Additionally, the four players eligible for arbitration — Gerrit Cole, Felipe Rivero, George Kontos and Jordy Mercer — are projected to earn, approximately, a combined $19 million. Filling out the roster with players making the minimum salary would nearly match last season’s opening day payroll of $91 million, leaving little room to strengthen the roster.
However, the Pirates' bullpen needs an additional arm or two. They also lack a fourth outfielder and may have to add a third baseman.
The Pirates could choose to trade one of the other eight players with guaranteed contracts in 2018. The most likely to be shopped is Josh Harrison, who was the subject of trade speculation last offseason.
Harrison, who was selected to his second All-Star game in 2017, is set to make $10.25 million in 2018, with team options for 2019 and 2020.
So, the Pirates’ decision on McCutchen will determine the course of their offseason.
Stewart, who received a $250,000 buyout and turns 36 in February, appeared in 51 games during his final season with the Pirates, slashing .183/.241/.221 with only four RBI. He was a reliable backup upon arriving in Pittsburgh, but has declined offensively. However, Stewart still made a sizable impact when behind the plate in 2017.
The Pirates’ pitching staff posted a 4.01 ERA with Stewart behind the plate — the best among the club's four catchers this season — and Hurdle credited him with helping the three young starting pitchers adjust to the major leagues.
Stewart also helped groom his replacement.
Elias Diaz, who is out of minor league options, started 19 of the final 22 games in 2017, giving him an extended audition and time to learn how to call a game behind the plate — which was once a glaring weakness for the 26-year-old.
Diaz appeared in 64 games in the majors in 2017, slashing .223/.257/.314. He batted .310 in 22 games during June, but was hitless in his final 19 at-bats of the season. He’ll enter 2018 as Francisco Cervelli’s backup, although the Pirates could lighten Cervelli’s workload after he was limited to 81 games because of four stints on the disabled list.
Cervelli, who will be 32 on opening day, has only played in more than 100 games twice in his 10 major league seasons.
LeBlanc, who completed his first full season as a reliever and was also outrighted to Indianapolis Friday, had a 2.47 ERA when he pitched more than one inning in a game and had a 1.96 ERA in May, but struggled for much of the second half of the season.
The 33-year-old had a 4.50 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in 68 innings this season, but opponents batted .264 against him after May. He was an intriguing option moving forward because he's left-handed and the Pirates don't have many southpaws for the bullpen.
Huntington didn't rule out moving Steven Brault, the Pirates' Minor League Pitcher of the Year, to the bullpen in 2018 because the starting rotation is set in 2018. Although Brault had a 4.86 ERA with a 1.68 WHIP in 16 2/3 innings as a reliever for the Pirates this season, he was used in a variety of roles in AAA to prepare him for a potential move to the bullpen in the major leagues.
Aside from Brault, Triple-A Indianapolis had only three left-handers pitch in relief this season.
Dan Runzler and Jack Leathersich are under club control next season, but both were cast off by other organizations. Runzler, 32, went five seasons between major league relief appearances because of a lingering injury. Leathersich missed all of 2016 with Tommy John surgery and has only 22 2/3 innings in the majors.
Cody Dickson, a 25-year-old who was a fourth-round draft pick in 2013, had a 1.75 WHIP in 40 innings with Indianapolis after being recalled from Altoona in June.