SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — What happens with Andrew McCutchen might not be the dominant theme of the Pirates’ offseason, but it will surely be a prevalent and popular one.
Shoot, it’s already been that, as general manager Ben Cherington said he’s spoken “several times” with McCutchen since the regular season ended.
As the Pirates look to navigate the next step with their most popular player in decades, Cherington tackled questions on the topic Wednesday, including the possibility of McCutchen returning to the outfield in 2024. It’s something that would not only indicate health but deliver wanted flexibility for the Pirates.
In other words, it may be the key to getting a deal done. Asked whether McCutchen playing the field was still being considered, Cherington responded in a way that should please Pirates fans.
“Yes — we certainly want to keep the door open for that,” Cherington told the Post-Gazette at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa for MLB’s annual general managers meetings. “I think he does, too. Not gonna force anything, but we’ve had that conversation. We need to keep learning about where he will be and if that makes sense."
McCutchen played just eight games in the outfield last season, making seven starts. Meanwhile, the 37-year-old — 36 at the time — appeared in 98 games as the designated hitter, 97 of them starts.
The production was solid, with McCutchen batting .256 and producing a .776 OPS that included 19 doubles, 12 home runs, 43 RBIs and a .378 on-base percentage. But McCutchen also battled knee, elbow and Achilles issues that rendered him unable to play the field.
If the Pirates can get McCutchen back to the 2022 version of himself — something obviously helped by his work ethic and desire to keep going — it would go a long way toward the team’s desired lineup flexibility.
Put a different way: the ability to give guys like Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz periodic rest while also creating another spot to load up on offense and/or pursue certain matchups.
It starts, again, with a clean bill of health for McCutchen and the two sides figuring out what that looks like in terms of a role.
“We’ve been in touch several times since the season ended,” Cherington said. “We’ll look to continue that and expect that we’ll continue to be in touch. Wanted to make sure first and foremost that he’s recovering well. I think the prognosis there remains good.
“We’ll keep that dialogue open. I think we have a shared interest in seeing if there’s a way to work something out. Hopefully we can do that.”
Cruz return
Another part of Cherington’s availability was dedicated to Oneil Cruz, who’s in Bradenton, Fla., rehabbing his surgically repaired left ankle. Cruz has been running, hitting and throwing — full baseball activities — and has even been introduced to some simulated game action.
“All of the updates we’ve gotten over the last couple weeks have been encouraging,” Cherington said. “He’s feeling good physically. That’s as far as we’ve gone. We’re continuing to take it a day at a time.”
The next step for Cruz, with the Arizona Fall League now a moot point, will be a more competitive environment. Cherington said winter ball in the Dominican Republic is something the Pirates are considering, along with sending Cruz to their academy there.
It sounds like the decision could be made in the coming days.
“We have stuff going on at our academy and can create game situations there,” Cherington said. “We also have time left in Bradenton. Just taking it a day at a time and continuing to lean on him and the team of people who are around him to tell us, ‘There’s one last thing to check. This would be it.’ Then we have to figure out where and how to do that.
“We expect that decision probably comes pretty soon, but we’re not quite ready to make it.”
Asked by the Post-Gazette if he still expects Cruz to be 100% and ready by spring training, the GM responded: “Based on all the information I have right now, yes.”
Keller extension?
In addition to McCutchen, a key order of business for Cherington and the Pirates this offseason remains hammering out a long-term extension with Mitch Keller.
Talks gained traction during the middle of last season, though the up-and-down nature of performance mixed with business led both sides to press pause until the fall or winter.
Cherington declined to offer any sort of update on those talks. However, he did reiterate that the Pirates see Keller, who’s entering his second year of arbitration and should get a sizable raise, as someone they would absolutely like to extend.
“We appreciate a lot about who he is,” Cherington told the Post-Gazette of Keller. “He’s one of the guys who checks a lot of boxes. He’s a guy we would love to see in a Pirates uniform for a long time. We’ll see how that plays out."
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG
First Published: November 9, 2023, 12:35 a.m.
