Pirates Sign CF Michael A. Taylor

The Pittsburgh Pirates added another bat to their roster with opening day less than two weeks. Outfielder Michael A Taylor is in agreement with the Pirates on a one-year deal worth $4 million according to Jeff Passan.

Taylor was rumored to be linked with the Pirates at multiple moments this offseason. The Pirates were also linked to Adam Duvall and Tommy Pham during their pursuit of another veteran outfielder. 

Taylor will be 33 in less than a month but is still a solid player. Last season, he won the gold glove in centerfield and displayed a lot of power. Taylor has always had power in his bat, along with plus speed. 

Last season, Taylor posted a batting average of .220 with 21 home runs and 51 runs batted in. He also had an OPS of .720, which included a .278 on-base percentage and a .442 slugging percentage. His wRC+ was decent at 96 and he also stole 13 bases.

Defense has been a strong spot his entire career. Since 2015, Taylor has saved 72 defensive runs. That lands him in the top five since that year. Last season, he saved five total defensive runs and had an outs above average of eight. This proves he is still a stellar defender, no matter where he plays in the outfield. 

Overall, I believe that this is a great signing for the Pirates. Their outfield looks good heading into the opening day, which I believe will be Bryan Reynolds in left, Michael A Taylor in center, and Jack Suwinski in right. This outfield could be elite this season as they could all hit over 20 home runs. 

Keep an eye out for the Pirates now. This makes them even closer to a shot at the playoffs.