Pittsburgh Pirates add Corey Dickerson to crowded outfield
By Tim Boyle
The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired outfielder Corey Dickerson in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. How does he fit in with the team in 2018?
Corey Dickerson won’t wear a Tampa Bay Rays uniform in 2018. Instead, he’ll suit up for the Pittsburgh Pirates following a trade north.
Days after he was shockingly designated for assignment by the Rays, Dickerson has found his new home. He’ll join a crowded outfield in Pittsburgh alongside Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte.
The Pirates cleared one starting outfield spot this winter with the Andrew McCutchen trade to the San Francisco Giants. For a while, it looked like they would employ Adam Frazier in left field. This latest addition raises a few more questions. Most notably, where does Dickerson fit into this mess?
Where does Corey Dickerson fit in with the 2018 Pittsburgh Pirates?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the verge of tanking. They haven’t quite committed to dismantling the whole ship. However, the McCutchen trade and the deal that sent Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros suggests they have little interest in competing. Veteran David Freese has been outspoken about the team’s direction, possibly hoping to buy his way out of Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, Corey Dickerson’s chances at playing for a winning team in 2018 are slim. The Pirates are in a division with the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals. All should compete at a much higher level than the Pirates.
Frankly, there’s no real plus side for Dickerson in this deal other than he’ll see far fewer hurricanes. The Pirates and Rays could easily finish with the same record in 2018. Sadly, Dickerson’s opportunities to play are slimmer with Pittsburgh.
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Dickerson redeemed himself in 2017 following a poor debut season with the Rays. Along with a career-best 27 home runs, Dickerson put up an excellent .282/.325/.490 batting line. The idea that his early success was exclusive to playing for the Colorado Rockies fell to the wayside. Dickerson silenced many doubters, even earning a trip to the All-Star Game. It wasn’t enough to convince the Rays to keep Dickerson for the long-haul. Their salary-cutting mission made him into the latest casualty.
Expect Dickerson to fight with Bryce Brentz for playing time. The long-time Boston Red Sox minor leaguer looked like a feel-good story for 2018. This move may have stolen that opportunity. Dickerson’s lengthier resume will make sure of that.
As for Frazier, his positional flexibility should only make him an option for the Pirates in left field, not the automatic starter. Dickerson should see plenty of at-bats versus righties regardless of how the rest of the Opening Day roster looks.
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The silver lining for Dickerson is that he has left one toxic franchise for another. While a lateral movement in many regards, eyes are on him. If he can prove himself regularly, the Pittsburgh Pirates could always swap him at the trade deadline.