Andrew McCutchen's offseason uncertainty opens these Pirates roster possibilities

Even before the Pirates' season ended, the speculation on whether Andrew McCutchen would return to Pittsburgh in 2026 was already building. Each one of his interviews made it feel like he'd had enough of this organization.

In an article written by John Perrotto, McCutchen stated a few games before the season ended, "I do want to continue playing, so wherever that may be. I’m looking forward to seeing where the offseason takes me."

Afterwards, insider Alex Stumpf said that there is a "distinct possibility" that McCutchen signs elsewhere. Entering potentially his final season, McCutchen could very well be ring chasing, rather than being the leader in the Pirates clubhouse. He really hasn't been close to a World Series either, so after a long career, making that final push makes sense.

There is not really any chance that McCutchen chases a ring in Pittsburgh either. He was tied for third on the team in OPS at .700, 19 points below the league average of .719. Being a top hitter with a .700 OPS just does not generate success, so it makes sense why he would pursue a chance elsewhere in a lesser role. Since his exit has become a real possibility, let's examine who may take over as DH in his wake.

This is what the Pirates will work with if Andrew McCutchen signs elsewhere.

Bryan Reynolds

Bryan Reynolds was the worst defender is baseball in left field back in 2024. They moved him over to right field in 2025 and he improved, but was still significantly below average. When McCutchen was not in the lineup, Reynolds was the DH. Last offseason, there was some buzz around Reynolds moving to first base, if only to get him out of the outfield. His xSLG of .466 and 46% hard-hit rate indicate that he should bounce back, so maybe getting him out of the outfield can support his bat more.

Joey Bart

The Pirates had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, but when they pitched to Joey Bart, it was ugly. When catching, pitchers had a 4.73 ERA and his overall record was around 25 games below .500. He cannot call games, and even though his .696 overall OPS wasn't very good, the Pirates need him against southpaws. Bart posted an .891 OPS with 72 at-bats against them last season. That's not a large sample size, but that level of production has enough value to stay on the roster, especially if he is mainly at DH against lefties.

Both of these two players provide little defensive value, yet they could still find consistent reps in the lineup consistently if McCutchen signs elsewhere. Hopefully, this can maximize the big contract extension Pittsburgh signed Reynolds to by bringing his offense back. In the case of Bart, anything that can get him away from catching is a plus.