The Pittsburgh Pirates are willing to extend Andrew McCutchen contract for a second time, accorinding to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Biertempfel reports there are no present talks, but the team is “willing to go to great lengths” to get an extended contract with McCutchen. The Pirates are reportedly willing to go into the range of $25 million a year.
McCutchen signed a six-year, $51.50 million extension with the Pirates in 2012. The deal included a team option for the 2018 season.
The Pirates are counting on McCutchen to be the face of their franchise for a long time and I fully expect them to get a deal done sometime in the near future. But, I’m sure we won’t see a deal until this offseason or even later than that.
Pittsburgh’s owner Bob Nutting said he wants to keep McCutchen around “for a long, long time.” McCutchen said he’s open to the idea if the team opened the negotiations.
McCutchen has played in four straight All-Star Games and has finished in the top 3 of the MVP voting three straight seasons, winning it in 2013. He has a career slash line of .299/.385/.498 to go with 128 homers and 143 stolen bases in his six seasons for the Pirates.
