The Kansas City Royals were hoping that a former All-Star could recapture some magic in 2024, and it unfortunately didn’t pan out.
Adam Frazier, a utility man whose primary position has typically been second base, signed a one-year deal with the Royals last winter that included an $8.5 million mutual option for 2025. Frazier was so bad, though, that the Royals exercised a $2.5 million buyout to get him off the roster.
With a .202/.282/.294 slash line in 104 games this season, Frazier was one of the worst hitters not only on the Royals, but in Major League Baseball. Entering his age-33 season, the nine-year veteran is now hoping to cling on long enough to earn his full pension at 10 years of service time.
Fortunately, one of Frazier’s former teams is hoping he can rekindle that old magic in the same uniform he once starred in.
On Tuesday, Frazier reportedly agreed to a one-year, major league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team he made an All-Star appearance for in 2021. The deal virtually guarantees him a spot on the Pirates’ Opening Day roster.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to report the news via X.
Frazier spent the first five-and-a-half seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, racking up 10.5 bWAR in 608 games. 2021 was by far his best year, especially in the first half, before he was traded to the San Diego Padres. He slashed .324/.388/.448 in 98 games with the Pirates that year.
Since the start of 2022, though, Frazier has played 401 games with a .632 OPS. At his best, he’s a serviceable bench/utility player, like he was for the 2023 Baltimore Orioles, but at his worst, he’s borderline unplayable.
The Royals, for their part, simply have to hope they have more success with this year’s crop of utility signings (looking at you, Cavan Biggio) than Frazier had in Kansas City.
More MLB: $2.5 Million Ex-Giants Veteran Named ‘Cost-Effective Target’ For Royals
In a surprising turn of events, former All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen has reunited with the Pittsburgh Pirates after a disappointing 2024 season with the Kansas City Royals.
McCutchen, who was once the face of the Pirates franchise and won the National League MVP award in 2013, was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2018 before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019. He then had stints with the New York Yankees and the Royals before returning to Pittsburgh.
The 36-year-old veteran is excited to be back with the team where he began his career and is looking forward to helping the Pirates return to their winning ways. Despite his struggles in Kansas City last season, McCutchen is determined to prove that he still has plenty left in the tank and can be a valuable asset to his former team.
Pirates fans are thrilled to see McCutchen back in black and gold, and are hopeful that his return will bring some much-needed excitement and success to the struggling franchise. Only time will tell if this reunion will be a successful one, but one thing is for sure – McCutchen’s love for the city of Pittsburgh and its fans is undeniable.
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