Decision nearing from the Pirates about Andrew McCutchen

The Pittsburgh Pirates will soon have to make a vital decision that appears to be a no brainer

In June of 2009 Andrew McCutchen made his Major League debut. Since then, he has been the face of the Pittsburgh Pirates and he has become one of the most well-known superstars in all of Major League Baseball.

However, his time in Pittsburgh could be winding down to a close. Last offseason the Pirates came close to trading McCutchen but opted to keep their star in the fold instead. This offseason Neal Huntington and the Pirates will have to make a decision on McCutchen yet again.

2018 is the final season of Andrew McCutchen’s contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, this final season is a team option. This team option is worth $14.25 million, and the Pirates must pick up or decline McCutchen’s option within five days of the end of the World Series.

It would be a complete stunner if the Pirates did not pick up Andrew McCutchen’s 2018 option. However, this does not mean he will be on the team’s Opening Day roster. It is possible that the Pirates could pick up McCutchen’s option, and then look to trade him. Potentially at next month’s Winter Meetings where the team came very close to trading McCutchen a year ago.

After having the worst season of his career in 2016, McCutchen bounced back with a big 2017. In 2017 McCutchen hit 28 home runs, he owned a .363 on-base percentage, he slugged .486, his ISO was .207, his wOBA .360, and he had a 122 wRC+ and a 3.7 fWAR. Other than ISO, all of these led the Pirates.

If Andrew McCutchen is a Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 then, in my opinion, that indicates that Neal Huntington and company are ready to make one last postseason push with McCutchen. If they are not committed to that, then McCutchen should be traded.

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With the World Series slated to end tonight, the Pittsburgh Pirates have five days to make a decision on Andrew McCutchen’s 2018 option. It is all but a guarantee that the Pirates will pick his option up. Does that mean McCutchen will be a Pirate in 2018? Well, that is far from a given.