A lot has changed since the Pittsburgh Pirates ended the 2018 campaign. But are the Pirates better off with these moves?
At the end of the 2017 campaign, the Pittsburgh Pirates did not seem all that far away from contending. Despite their 75-87 record, the pieces appeared to be in place, with Andrew McCutchen closing in on his old form, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco providing a dynamic duo in the outfield, and up and coming first baseman Josh Bell, the lineup was solid. With better health, and Gerrit Cole returning to his place as the Pirates ace, a return to relevance was not outside the realm of possibility.
Then the offseason happened. McCutchen, the face of franchise, was traded away to San Francisco. Cole, the erstwhile ace, was sent packing to Houston. The moves infuriated the fanbase to the point where they started a petition calling for Major League Baseball to force owner Bob Nutting sell the franchise.
Since that point, the Pirates have made other moves. Minor league slugger Bryce Brentz has finally been freed of Boston. Colin Moran is no longer stuck behind three top prospects at third. The names may be different, but it is possible that the Pirates will be just as good, if not better, than they were the previous year.
This season, the Pittsburgh Pirates do not have lofty expectations. However, it is entirely possible that they will perform better than anyone could imagine.