Pirates should pull off blockbuster with Yankees and look to 2020

General manager Neal Huntington said a little more than a week ago that the Pittsburgh Pirates had yet to decide if they would try to contend in 2018.

Well, the Pirates’ course is no longer in question. They are going into rebuilding mode.

The Pirates might not completely tear their roster apart and it might not take 20 years to field to have another winning team. However, the organization has made the decision to punt on ’18, which is a pretty wise decision in having the fourth-best team in the National League Central behind the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers.

In-depth talks with the New York Yankees on a potential trade over the last few days has clearly tipped the Pirates’ hand. Right-hander Gerrit Cole and second baseman Josh Harrison are both on the table in what could turn out to be a blockbuster deal.

The Pirates know they have no chance of re-signing Cole when he becomes a free agent following the 2019 season. Like most of the players who were around for the Pirates’ run of three straight postseason appearances from 2013-15, Cole has privately soured on owner Bob Nutting and his unwillingness to spend enough to keep the team competitive.

The Pirates are selling low on Cole after he had a 12-12 record with a 4.26 ERA and 101 ERA+ last season. However, he made all 33 of his scheduled starts, is 27 years old and won 19 games in 2015. Most importantly, he has two full seasons of club control remaining and his trade value theoretically will go down the closer he gets to free agency.

Furthermore, the Yankees know Cole. They selected him in the first round of the 2008 amateur draft. Though he opted to instead attend UCLA, Cole and Yankees vice president and director of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer have maintained a relationship over the years.

Harrison would also be a good fit for the Yankees as his presence would buy more time for second baseman Gleyber Torres to develop in the minor leagues. Once Torres is ready, Harrison could easily shift into a super utility role.

Harrison is entering the final guaranteed season of his four-year, $27.3-million contract. Though the Pirates would also certainly not exercise the team options of $10.5 million in 2019 and $11.5 million in 2020, those prices would be easily affordable for the Yankees.

The players the Pirates are trying to get back would give them an early start on a rebuild. Third baseman Miguel Andujar, shortstop Tyler Wade and outfielder Clint Frazier made their major league debuts last season while right-hander Chance Adams is considered ready for the bigs after going a combined 15-5 with a 2.45 ERA in 27 starts with Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Class AA Trenton last season.

The Pirates have just four players signed beyond next year and three --- right-hander Ivan Nova, catcher Francisco Cervelli and left fielder Starling Marte --- have contracts that expire following the 2019 season. Right fielder Gregory Polanco is signed through 2021.

Thus, on opening day in 2020 --- if the Pirates can pull off the trade with the Yankees --- it is easy to envision Jameson Taillon or Mitch Keller being the starting pitcher and anchoring a rotation that would include Adams and some combination of Chad Kuhl, Trevor Williams, Tyler Glasnow, Nick Kingham, Clay Holmes and left-handers Steven Brault and Taylor Hearn.

First baseman Josh Bell would be the centerpiece of an infield that would include either Andujar or Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base, Cole Tucker at shortstop and Kevin Newman or Kevin Kramer at second base. The Pirates also plan on trying Hayes at second base during spring training.

The outfield would consist of Austin Meadows in center field, flanked by Frazier in left and Polanco in right.

The biggest question mark would be catcher as it is becoming clear Elias Diaz projects as a backup rather than a starter. The Pirates also don’t have a prospect at the position in their farm system.

Taillon and Kingham would be the oldest players of that group as both would 28 when the 2020 season begins. That would theoretically set the Pirates up to make another run at the playoffs.

The downside would be that 2019 would be sacrificed as a non-competitive season along with 2018. However, with the Pirates having little chance to win next season as currently constituted, it makes perfect sense to rebuild.