Three moves for Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason

For years, the Pittsburgh Pirates could not figure out a direction. They would sell off pieces of their roster, only to turn around and start buying months later. This left the team in a strange situation where they were not a contender, but would not exactly rebuild either.

That ended once Ben Cherington came on board. The Pirates have a direction now, and with it, there is some hope. It may take years before the Pirates are ready to compete once more, but there is starting to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Three moves for Pittsburgh Pirates

At this point, it is a matter of continuing to move closer to the goal of contending. It will be a long process, but the Pirates can take steps toward that desired result this offseason. The right moves could help in expediting that timeline, or at the very least, beginning to put that core together. This may be an important offseason for Cherington and Company.

Let’s take a look at three moves the Pittsburgh Pirates should make this offseason.

Bring back Yoshi Tsutsugo

The idea that Yoshi Tsutsugo could be a viable major league piece appeared to be over. He had flamed out with both the Rays and Dodgers before the Pittsburgh Pirates gave him a chance, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.

The Pirates did just that. The light clicked on for Tsutsugo, who produced a 136 OPS+ with eight homers and eight doubles over his 144 plate appearances. That OPS+ was the second highest on the team of any player with at least ten plate appearances with the Pirates in 2021.

Maybe he was not ready to face the pressure of being a part of a team with championship aspirations. Maybe that pressure, coupled with the adjustment to a new country, was more than he could handle. Or maybe the Pirates were able to fix something that they noticed, allowing Tsutsugo to tap into his ability.

With Tsutsugo’s production during his time in Pittsburgh, and his ability to slot in either corner outfield spot or first base, he would be worth bringing back. Chances are, he would not cost much in terms of a dollar amount, and if he shows that he can continue to be the player he was at the end of last year, he could become a building block for the Pirates.

Yoshi Tsutsugo was a pleasant surprise for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021. It is time to bring him back and see if he can be a part of the future.