If there was one moment that would define the reason former General Manager Neal Huntington lost his job it would be because of the Chris Archer trade. The trade was made at the 2018 trade deadline and immediately sent excitement through the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and fan base. The team finally made a legit, buying move.
The thought process was that Archer would come here and continue to out pitch his team-friendly contract as he did for years in Tampa Bay. While he was struggling for the Rays, many thought a change of scenery would help him get back on track, especially with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ray Searage, who had helped out so many struggling veterans in the past.