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In a matter of days, Andrew McCutchen has gone from highly likely to being traded to now likely being a Pirate to start the 2017 season.

What happened?

Information coming out in the last couple hours is that more than anything, the Nationals just went in another direction and it’s left Pirate officials stunned.

The Pirates brass is now planning to hit the reset button, sources say, in reconstructing the roster for 2017.

Coming into the winter meetings, Pittsburgh fully anticipated getting the bulk of the $14 million committed to McCutchen off their books as the Pirates anticipated getting a prospect heavy return.

The Pirates don’t view Andrew McCutchen as a $14 million a year player, a primary reason they were and are looking to move him.

Among the teams that have kicked tires on McCutchen and remain out there, Dodgers and Giants among them, the Pirates don’t see a trade match at this point and believe they’re more in-season trade options for McCutchen than this winter based on the Pirates discussions with the two clubs.

So everyone is now moving forward with the expectation that Andrew McCutchen will be a Pittsburgh Pirate to start the season.

It’s going to be an awkward situation after the Pirates blatantly tried to trade the 2013 NL MVP who is also being forced to change positions to left field.

In the short-term, one of the burning questions with McCutchen not being traded is do the Pirates still have the appetite to now spend $8-$10 million on a quality veteran starter to help shore up the rotation in the short-term?

They had all intentions with the money saved from a possible McCutchen trade to go towards a veteran starter and another utility player/outfielder.

We’ll find out if that so called saved money from the Liriano trade gets put back into the Major League team.

More Buzz

— What this now means with McCutchen likely returning remains to be seen but the Pirates met with the agent for outfielder Co[hide]lby Rasmus on Tuesday, TIOPS has learned. The Pirates had been looking at outfielders prior to today’s McCutchen developments. The Pirates, though, still need to replace Matt Joyce.

Rasmus was shutdown last season with a hip injury and hit .206/.286.355 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs in 107 games. The agent says he’ll be fully healthy by January. The Pirates like Rasmus’ defensive play and ability to play all three outfield positions. Possible target to sign after the new year.

— Pittsburgh also met with Derrick Holland’s reps also on Tuesday. Holland’s camp informed the Pirates they are looking for a one year deal worth $7 million.

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