After officially joining the Pittsburgh Pirates organization on November 18, 2019, unanticipated and unexpected challenges have been thrown at General Manager Ben Cherington in crafting the Bucs’ next winning team.
The COVID-19 pandemic was just the beginning, as the season was delayed until late July, resulting in a shortened 60-game MLB season and the cancelation of Minor League action. The Pirates drew the short end of the stick in 2020, accumulating a 19-41 overall record, but also struggled to find their footing in 2019 to a lesser degree.
In their last full season under GM Neil Huntington, the team free-falled to a 69-93 mark, good for seventh worst in baseball, thanks to one of the most unique collapses in Pirates history, with defensive and baserunning fundamentals practically forgotten about, players fighting in the locker room, and an organizational overhaul only weeks away.