The Pittsburgh Pirates have some decisions to make in the offseason if they want to take a step forward for the 2025 Major League Baseball season.
The Pirates finished the 2024 campaign with the same record as the 2023 campaign at 76-86. The emergence of superstar rookie pitcher Paul Skenes and improved starting rotation has given Pittsburgh hope for the future. They had a chance to make the playoffs this season but will need to make additions in the offseason to improve their roster.
Insiders Noah Hiles and Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette predicted that the Pirates would sign back fan-favorite veteran Andrew McCutchen.
“As the Pirates have stated multiple times, they’d like for McCutchen to retire with the Pirates, and there have been no public indications to suggest his time as a big-leaguer is nearing an imminent end,” Destin wrote. “Perhaps 2025 is McCutchen’s last season, but that will almost assuredly be with the Pirates.”
Hiles and Destin also predicted that Aroldis Chapman would not return to Pittsburgh for next season.
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“Chapman would be a nice player to bring back if they can get him for a cheaper price. While he ended up being a decent investment, the Pirates can probably get two leverage arms for the price they paid him ($10.5 million) last season. If he wanted that same deal for 2025, I might consider it.”
McCutchen was still one of Pittsburgh’s better hitters this season despite being 38. McCutchen has spent 11 seasons with the Pirates and wants to retire with the team. Chapman is another story. Although the lefty reliever pitched admirably this season, Pittsburgh could likely sign multiple pitchers instead.
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