Pirates agree to trade 5-time All-Star Andrew McCutchen to Giants
— -- The Pittsburgh Pirates took a definitive step in their rebuild Monday, agreeing to trade former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports.
It is not immediately clear what Pittsburgh will receive in exchange for McCutchen, a five-time All-Star outfielder who helped revitalize the Pirates franchise and led the club to three consecutive postseason appearances from 2013 to 2015.
McCutchen tweeted a goodbye to Pittsburgh on Monday.
The Athletic was first to report the deal, which would be the second major trade this offseason for both teams. The trade is pending the completion of a physical, according to reports.
The trade marks the end of an era for the Pirates, who dealt ace Gerrit Cole to Houston two days ago but signaled the start of their rebuild with the trade of McCutchen, one of the franchise's most accomplished and popular players.
McCutchen, 31, would become the latest veteran star to join the Giants, who already landed three-time All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria in a trade last month with the Tampa Bay Rays.
McCutchen is entering the final year of his contract and is slated to make $14.5 million in 2018.
The Giants, looking to bounce back from a 98-loss season and last-place finish in 2017, hope McCutchen will bolster an outfield that lacks proven veteran depth beyond Hunter Pence.
Pence welcomed McCutchen to the Giants in a tweet Monday.
The Pirates endured 20 consecutive losing years before McCutchen's MVP season in 2013, when they won 94 games and reached the NL Division Series. The McCutchen-led Pirates also made appearances in the NL wild-card game in 2014 and 2015 but struggled to losing records in each of the past two seasons.
McCutchen batted .279 with 28 home runs and 88 RBIs last season, his ninth with the Pirates. He was a four-time Silver Slugger and has 203 career homers, fourth-most in Pirates franchise history.
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