MLB

Pirates finally trade Andrew McCutchen to end an era

The Pirates lifer is heading west.

Andrew McCutchen was traded to the Giants, the Pirates announced Monday.

In return for McCutchen, the Pirates acquired right-handed reliever Kyle Crick, outfield prospect Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 in international bonus pool money.

The Giants will pay McCutchen $12 million and the Pirates the remaining $2.5 million of his $14.5 million deal, according to The Athletic.

Crick posted a 3.06 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 28 strikeouts and 17 walks over 32 ¹/₃ innings with the Giants last season. He has closer potential. Reynolds, a second-round pick in the 2016 draft, slashed .312/.364/.462 with 10 homers, 37 walks and 106 strikeouts in 491 at-bats for High-A San Jose last season.

The Pirates moved McCutchen to the edge of the trading block after dealing pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Astros over the weekend, as the beginnings of a fire sale appear to be in play .

The outfielder gives the Giants a much-needed power bat after they finished the 2017 season last in the home run column and with their worst record (64-98) since 1994.

McCutchen, 31, was drafted 11th overall by the Pirates in 2005 and was the franchise linchpin they envisioned for the majority of his Pittsburgh career, getting selected to five straight All-Star Games from 2011 to 2015.

He won the National League MVP in 2013. when he hit .317 with 21 home runs, 84 RBIs, 27 steals and a .404 OBP. McCutchen hit .291 with 203 home runs and 725 RBIs over nine seasons with the Pirates.

McCutchen had been on the Mets’ radar earlier in the offseason, but talks never progressed far. The Mets inked outfielder Jay Bruce to a three-year deal last week.