Former Pirates OF who helped fill Andrew McCutchen's void announces retirement

After the Pirates traded their face of the franchise in Andrew McCutchen back in 2018, many fans believed that things were all going down hill in Pittsburgh. Although that was the case a year after in 2019, the Pirates were actually relevant during that first season without McCutchen, and a lot of their success came from a player they'd acquired that same offseason.

The Pirates went on a big win streak around the All-Star break in 2018, which led to them becoming buyers and making one of the worst trades in franchise history. Nonetheless, they were a contender for a while, and that was a pleasant surprise. They did miss the playoffs, but that run during the summer was special, and one of the big reasons they found success was Corey Dickerson, the player they got after the McCutchen trade, who more than adequately filled the hole in the outfield.

He was not expensive to add, either, costing Daniel Hudson, Tristan Gray (who wasrecently claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh), and cash considerations. The trade was worth it for the 2018 season alone, as he batted .300 with 13 home runs, driving in 55. His OPS reached .804, along with a wRC+ of 114 and a strikeout rate of just 15%. He topped that year off with a Gold Glove award, which came as a surprise due to his previously poor career defense.

The following season was his last in Pittsburgh, as he battled injuries prior to being dealt to Philadelphia. That marked an end to his time with the Pirates, but that year and a half was memorable. After leaving Pittsburgh, Dickerson consistently moved around, playing for five different clubs after the trade.

Corey Dickerson hangs up the cleats after a solid career, having a great performance with the Pirates.

Dickerson finished his career with some solid numbers and milestones. He retired with 1,028 hits, 136 home runs, and 469 runs driven in. His batted average reached .280, along with an OPS of .799 and a wRC+ of 110. His fWAR only reached 12.1, but it was lowered from his poor defense, 2018 being an outlier.

Dickerson had a decent career in baseball, and he will be remembered by Pirates fans thanks to his memorable 2018 season. He was a big piece of their success during that run.