This week, the Pittsburgh Pirates made headlines as they officially began retooling their roster, trading homegrown stars Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen in exchange for younger talent.
On paper, this makes sense. With a 75-87 record, the club finished fourth in the competitive AL Central, and none of the three teams ahead of them (the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals) look like they’ll be stepping down any time soon. Both players will be free agents soon - McCutchen after 2018, Cole after 2019 - and likely would not be a part of the next competitive Pirates ballclub.