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The Pittsburgh Pirates recently signed veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a one-year, five-million-dollar deal. It marks the return to Pittsburgh for a guy that was a core member of their team for nine seasons.
McCutchen will join Ji-Man Choi and Carlos Santana, who the team also signed in the off-season. All in all, this is a young and exciting team that could turn some heads next season.
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The team's projected lineup isn't bad. Ke'Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz will lock down the left side of the infield. Their outfield is pretty solid as well, with Bryan Reynolds manning center field with McCutchen and Jack Suwinski.
Fans are ready to get this season going. They're excited to see a better team roll out in 2023. It's been a rough couple of seasons for Pittsburgh, as they haven't had a winning record since 2015.
"This team is beter than people realize," one fan tweeted.
"Just need pitching tbh bro," explained another fan.
Pittsburgh needs some pitching depth, and they'll be a solid team next season. They currently have JT Brubaker, Mitch Keller, and Rich Hill as their top three starters in the rotation.
Fans are seeing the start of something new with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their prospects are starting to make their debuts and get comfortable in the MLB. This team could be a real contender a couple of years down the road.
Can the Pittsburgh Pirates shale up the National League Central?
The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't won the National League Central since the division was created. The St. Louis Cardinals have dominated the division. They've won 12 of the 26 division championships.
The Cardinals haven't done much this off-season in terms of upgrading. They signed Wilson Contreras to replace Yadier Molina, who retired at the end of the 2022 season. Their season largely rests on how well Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt do next season.
While they're not contenders this season, they may have enough to make a serious climb in their division. The Pirates have a ton of young players who are starting to grow and get more confident in the league. Watch out for Oneil Cruz and Ke'Bryan Hayes to take the world by storm. The team has zero pressure going into next season, and that might be what it takes to topple the division.
The NL Central should be a fun one to watch this upcoming season.
