Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen looks out from the dugout before a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Even after a handful of moves already made this winter, the Pittsburgh Pirates had been aggressively seeking another significant lineup addition before the start of the season.
With two days to go before pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton for spring training, the Pirates made a splash by agreeing to a deal with veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, pending a physical.
Ozuna is a 13-year-veteran with stops in Miami, St. Louis and Atlanta. In 1,614 career games the 35-year-old owns a .269/.336/.469 batting line with 281 doubles, 296 home runs and 948 RBI.
Here are three takeaways from Ozuna signing with Pittsburgh.
The Lineup Gets a Needed Right-Handed Boost
Ozuna is the third of a trio of significant lineup additions for the Pirates this winter (along with some secondary pieces) but the first to bat right-handed. 2025 All-Stars Brandon Lowe (acquired from Rays) and Ryan O’Hearn (signed as a free agent) should have plenty of impact on improving MLB’s worst lineup from last season, but both bat left-handed… as do Spencer Horwitz, Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds (switch-hitter).
Ozuna will stabilize the middle of the lineup that will consist of some combination of Horwitz, Reynolds, O’Hearn, Lowe and Cruz.
Although there should be some concerns Ozuna’s production dipped in 2025, he still had a solid year in which he finished with a 113 OPS+, 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 145 games. Some of that could’ve been due to a nagging hip injury. But since the start of the 2023 season, Ozuna ranks ninth in baseball with 100 home runs and is fourth among right-handed hitters behind only Aaron Judge, Pete Alonso and Eugenio Suárez, who the Pirates tried hard to land.
Considering the remaining options in free agency and the rumored fits on the trade market, the Pirates didn’t have many better options than Ozuna to choose from, at least offensively.
The Defense Suffers
Though they should be willing to sacrifice some for improving the lineup, the Pirates should be at least somewhat concerned about their outfield defense.
Signing Ozuna likely pushes Ryan O’Hearn to a corner outfield spot where he will be accompanied by Oneil Cuz in center and Bryan Reynolds at the other corner.
That alignment isn’t great.
In his eight-year big-league career, O’Hearn has played 121 games as a corner outfielder (101 in right and 20 in left). Combined between the two positions, he’s accumulated minus-10 defensive runs saved (minus-11 in right and plus-one in left). Even if left field is his stronger position, PNC Park’s is extremely spacious and requires plenty of foot speed to cover all the outfield grass.
Cruz, meanwhile, is hoping for better results in his second full season as a center fielder. He has some desired tools with excellent speed and one of the strongest arms in the league, but last year, he he committed a league-high 11 errors and had minus-14 defensive runs saved.
Reynolds shifted from left to right field last season and had a better statistical year. But he just turned 31 and potentially could have to shift back to left. Manager Don Kelly will have to at least consider it.
Andrew McCutchen’s Tenure With the Pirates Likely Over
It’s almost impossible to envision a scenario in which the Pirates are able to bring back Andrew McCutchen for 2026.
Ozuna will command most of the DH at-bats and is right-handed. The outfield is filled with the names mentioned above with fellow outfield additions Jake Mangum and Jhostynxon GarcÃa among those battling out for the fourth outfield spot. You’d have to assume Mangum is the favorite given his defensive abilities.
So where does that leave McCutchen? Likely with another team if someone gives him a spot.
It looks like an ugly end to the best chapter of the story of the 21st-century Pirates. No player since the early 90s, and perhaps beyond, has been as popular as McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP and a five-time All-Star selection.
The Pirates haven’t played a postseason game without McCutchen since the 1992 heartbreaking loss to the Atlanta Braves in game seven of the NLCS. For those counting, that’s 34 years ago.
McCutchen returned to the Pirates in 2023 after five years away combined between three teams. Him stepping up to the plate for the fist time back in a black and gold jersey gave Pirates’ fans their biggest reason to cheer and the loudest ovation at PNC Park since he led Pittsburgh to the 2015 National League Wild Card game.
It’s a business, and the Pirates are treating it as such. They should receive some props for that considering their track record, but it’s unfortunate to see things end with McCutchen the way they are.
Mentioned in this article: Andrew McCutchen Marcell Ozuna Pittsburgh Pirates
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