Pittsburgh Pirates: Trading for Corey Dickerson was huge move for Bucs
By Derek Snyder
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a quiet, but substantial trade for outfielder Corey Dickerson this week. Here’s why his addition will be huge for the Bucs in 2018.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have definitely made some die-hard fans mad this offseason, especially by trading Andrew McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants. Even with some key pieces left in the lineup, no one has been too optimistic about the Pirates chances of contending for the NL Central crown in 2018.
However, thanks to a somewhat quiet, yet substantial move by the Bucs’ front-office this week, the team has added outfielder Corey Dickerson to their roster. If you hadn’t heard of Dickerson before, I promise he’ll quickly become one of your favorite players by the 2018 All-Star break.
Take a look at what Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington had to say about his newly-acquired outfielder in Adam Berry’s article from the team’s official website:
"Dickerson will be Pittsburgh’s primary left fielder, general manager Neal Huntington said, joining center fielder Starling Marte and right fielder Gregory Polanco in the Bucs’ new-look outfield. Dickerson, 28, hit .282/.325/.490 with 27 home runs in 150 games and made the American League All-Star team last season.“Corey Dickerson adds a quality power threat to our lineup, as evidenced by his 60-plus extra-base hits and 20-plus home runs each of the last two seasons,” general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement. “Corey is a driven player who will also add a quality presence to our clubhouse.”"
Still on the right side of 30-years-old, Dickerson provides a player who will become one of the leaders on this Pirates ball-club moving forward. Yes, he definitely provides some solid power, but as Huntington also mentioned, his presence in the team’s clubhouse will be invaluable.
Without a couple of key veterans like Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole on the team, it’ll be crucial for the Bucs to find the right players to help lead this organization on and off the diamond in 2018.
Next: Adam Berry predicts the Pirates 2018 Opening Day roster
Not to mention, it definitely doesn’t hurt that the Pirates just added a former All-Star either. If the Bucs make a surprising run in 2018, don’t be surprised if it’s because of Pittsburgh’s new left-fielder.