Pirates could spark another retirement tour reunion if Andrew McCutchen leaves

For the last three seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed former MVP Andrew McCutchen to one-year, $5 million deals. Cutch was a staple in the Pirates' lineup from 2009 through 2017, becoming one of the best players in the franchise's long history and one of the most beloved players in baseball. He has lined up as the Pirates' DH over the last three campaigns.

However, Cutch's final tour with the Pirates might have seen its last game; the Pirates icon may be seeking championship-colored pastures for 2026. But the end of his re-engagement in Pittsburgh could mean the start of Starling Marte's retirement tour. Now that Marte is a free agent, the Pirates should consider bringing him in as their next designated hitter.

Marte's time with the Pirates was memorable. From 2012 through 2019, the outfielder hit .287/.341/.452 with a 116 wRC+. Marte was one of the league's best baserunners, as his 239 stolen bases were the fourth most in baseball during this stretch. He was also an outstanding defender, with +64 defensive runs saved and +9 outs above average, winning two Gold Gloves for his work with the leather. Marte was integral to the Pirates in the 2010s, as he usually stood to McCutchen's right in left field. 

After 2019, the Pirates traded Marte to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who subsequently sent him to the Miami Marlins during the shortened 2020 campaign after only 33 games. Marte was then shipped to the Oakland Athletics during the 2021 trade deadline as a rental. After finishing off the 2021 season in the bay, he then signed a four-year contract with the New York Mets, which he just wrapped up this past year.

While Marte has fallen off since his heyday, his 2025 season was not bad, and represented a rebound of sorts. He hit .270/.335/.410 through 329 plate appearances. His .329 wOBA and 112 wRC+ were both his best single-season marks since 2022. He also only struck out 20.7% of the time. Marte was never one to draw many walks, and 2025 was not much different. He only had a 6.7% BB%. Marte's power clocked in as below average, with a .140 ISO.

Starling Marte could return to the Pirates and start his retirement tour, just like Andrew McCutchen.

Marte still has some fuel left in the tank. He may have had a below-average 87.8 MPH exit velocity and 7.8% barrel percentage last season, but his 2025 exit velocity exactly matches his career average, and his barrel rate last season was better than his career average. His .326 xwOBA matched his wOBA, and his .373 expected wOBA on contact was not far off from his career average mark of .387. If the expected numbers tell a story, it's that Marte could still be one of the Pirates' better hitters (not that's an entirely high bar to surpass). Only three Pirates batters with 300 or more plate appearances who are under control through 2026 had a better xBA (.254), xSLG% (.406), xwOBA than Marte last year. 

The obvious downside is his advancing age, as recent injuries and the natural curve have affected his game. Marte is no longer the speedster who regularly stole 30 or 40+ bases for the Pirates. During his last season with the Pirates in 2019, he was still in the 92nd percentile of sprint speed. This year, he was only in the 28th percentile, and hasn't been above the 50th percentile since 2022. That drop in speed has also led to more time at designated hitter, and he took the field in only 12 contests in 2025. Marte also hasn't appeared in 100+ games since '22, and hasn't gotten into more than 120 contests since 2019. 2026 will be his age-37 season.

However, that's only one year older than Cutch when he signed his first one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates during the 2022-2023 offseason, and he was coming off an even worse year than Marte at the plate, as his .700 OPS, 89.1 MPH exit velocity, and .309 xwOBA during the 2022 season are still some of the worst marks of his career. The one thing Cutch does have over Marte are his stronger underlying numbers and more potential to produce in 2026.

If the Pirates don't continue the Andrew McCutchen retirement tour, they should consider starting the Starling Marte retirement tour. He deserves one as much as McCutchen does. He is one of the most integral outfielders in the Pirates' franchise history, as he was a key member of their back-to-back-to-back Wild Card appearances in 2013 to 2015. A similar one-year, $5 million deal would likely be enough for Marte to finish off his career in black and gold in 2026.