It appears there will be a changing of the guard in the Pirates’ outfield this year. After spending most of his first four-plus seasons in left field, Starling Marte will shift to center in 2017, he told MLB Dominicana (Twitter link). If that happens, the longtime face of the franchise, five-time All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen, will join Gregory Polanco as the team’s starting corner outfielders.
Given the vastly different defensive results Marte and McCutchen have produced in recent seasons, it’s no surprise that the Pirates look poised to shake up their outfield alignment.