It’s not every day the Pittsburgh Pirates get a long-term win in the trade market, but looking back nearly eight years later, one move still stands tall - and it’s wearing No. 10 in center field.
In the winter of 2018, the Pirates pulled off a deal that sent Andrew McCutchen - the face of the franchise at the time - to the San Francisco Giants. In return, they got a then-unheralded outfield prospect named Bryan Reynolds. Fast forward to today, and that trade has aged like a fine barrel-aged bourbon.
Let’s rewind for a second. The Giants were coming off a rough 98-loss season in 2017, and their front office was trying to squeeze one last run out of a fading core that had delivered titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
That offseason, they brought in Evan Longoria and McCutchen in a push to stay relevant. But the magic didn’t return - San Francisco finished 73-89 in 2018, and McCutchen was flipped again before the season ended, this time to the Yankees.
While McCutchen gave the Giants a solid 115 OPS+ with 15 homers and 1.7 WAR in 130 games, it was Reynolds who blossomed into the kind of player San Francisco had hoped to get. Just a year after the trade, Reynolds debuted with the Pirates and immediately made his presence felt, slashing .314/.377/.503 with 57 extra-base hits and 4.2 WAR in 134 games as a rookie. That’s not just a promising debut - that’s a franchise-altering arrival.
Since then, Reynolds has become a cornerstone in Pittsburgh. In seven seasons, he’s racked up 21.1 WAR and earned two All-Star nods.
He’s been the steady, productive force in the lineup that the Pirates have desperately needed - especially during a stretch when the team has struggled to find consistent footing in the standings. Before Paul Skenes took the mound and started turning heads, it was Reynolds who carried the banner for the Bucs.
What makes this trade stand out isn’t just the numbers - though they’re impressive - it’s the context. The Pirates sold high on a franchise icon in McCutchen and landed a player who’s not only matched but arguably exceeded expectations. That’s a tough needle to thread, especially for a club that’s often criticized for its roster decisions.
As Pittsburgh eyes its next chapter, especially with a young core starting to take shape, the Reynolds deal serves as a blueprint. Smart, forward-thinking trades - even if they involve parting with a fan favorite - can pay dividends for years. If the Pirates can replicate that kind of savvy this offseason, they might just take another step toward building something sustainable.