Francisco Cervelli poked his head into the PNC Park press conference room shortly after 3 p.m. Friday. With a big smile on his face, he looked at the podium and caught his first glimpse at Andrew McCutchen, the Giant.
“It’s emotional to see him,” Cervelli said in the clubhouse afterward. “Happy for him that he went to a good team, good organization, and you know, I got those memories that I played with one of the best players in the history of the Pirates.”
Prior to Friday’s game, the Pirates’ first against McCutchen since he was traded to San Francisco, members of the Pirates organization said the game could be an emotional experience for him — or them — while also recognizing the reality that the team needs to move on, and to a large extent already has.