If Pirates didn't re-sign Andrew McCutchen they'd be dead last in MLB in this category

Nobody realistically expected the Pittsburgh Pirates to be big spenders in free agency this offseason. (If you did, we applaud your incurable optimism.) But after a 2024 season that saw Paul Skenes' meteoric rise and gave us – dare we say it – hope for this team's future, even the most strong-willed skeptics began to think that there might actually be a chance for this team to make even a little bit of noise on the free agent market in the name of improving their roster and making the postseason in 2025.

But alas, the calendar has turned to a new year, marking the symbolic halfway point in the offseason, and the Pirates have made no noise in free agency – not even a whisper.

And no, re-signing Andrew McCutchen to the exact same one-year, $5 million contract he's had in each of the last two seasons doesn't count. It was the most predictable move of the offseason, and the only thing that wasn't predictable about it was how long it took (though, in retrospect, we probably should have predicted that, too).

Pirates are, unsurprisingly, one of MLB's lowest spenders in free agency this offseason

To contextualize just how stingy the Pirates have been this offseason, MLB Trade Rumors did an audit this week of every MLB team's free agency spending dating back to Nov. 4, the date when free agents were first allowed to begin discussing contract terms with every team. Pittsburgh came in at No. 21 out of 30 – which, at first glance, actually feels high.

Upon closer examination of the rankings, the Pirates have spent just over $5 million in free agency. In other words, their entire free agent class consists of McCutchen and Elvis Alvarado, who has never cracked a 40-man roster in his career and will probably spend most, if not all, of the season in Triple-A Indianapolis. Shrewd move, guys.

One could argue that free agency isn't the only way to improve a roster; but that argument doesn't go very far with the Pirates, who also haven't made any high-profile trades this offseason. Trading for Spencer Horwitz, a 27-year-old rookie who can't hit lefties and who hadn't been on any teams' radar, to be more than a part-time first baseman, isn't exactly the kind of big swing Pirates fans were hoping the front office would take this offseason.

There's still time before spring training begins in February, but if the first half of the offseason is any indication, the Pirates' outlook is pretty bleak.

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