We're just under two weeks away from Opening Day arriving, but there are still a handful of notable names still looking for work in free agency. The last wave of guys looking for deals seems to be rolling in, with Adam Duvall finally landing a deal that brings him back to Atlanta.
Another player who was very closely linked to Duvall in terms of potential landing spots was Michael A. Taylor. Despite putting together a phenomenal season last year replacing Byron Buxton, Taylor didn't land a lucrative contract -- or any deal at all for most of the offseason.
It was an odd development, but one not totally surprising given how slow and weak the free agent market has been this year. Blake Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, is still looking for work while Cody Bellinger waited all offseason for a big deal only to return to the Cubs for $30 million.
Those guys struggling was a bad sign for Taylor, and he spent almost the entire winter waiting for a team to bring him on. His wait ended on Friday when the Pittsburgh Pirates did what so many other teams should have done sooner.
Former Twins outfielder Michael A. Taylor finally signs with a new team
Pittsburgh signed Taylor to a one-year deal worth $4 million, ending his long search for a job. It's a shame that it took as long as it did, but Taylor has finally landed on his feet and could once again be an offseason steal.
Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a one-year, $4 million contract, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 15, 2024
Minnesota traded for Taylor last offseason with the idea being he'd platoon with Byron Buxton and form one of the best defensive duos in the league. That didn't happen, but an opportunity was created for Taylor to shine.
Buxton struggled with injuries and offensive slumps all season, and never once set foot on the field as anything other than a hitter. Meanwhile, Taylor went from outfield depth to Minnesota's everyday centerfielder and filled in masterfully.
Taylor set a new career-high for home runs and his glove was worth every penny the Twins paid him last year. He arguably had one of the biggest catches of the year in the AL Wild Card when he stopped the Blue Jays cold from potentially flipping the game -- and the series -- away from Minnesota.
It was expected that the Twins would need to find a way to replace him this offseason, mostly because he had seemingly played his way into a nice free agent deal. There was early interest from teams like the Angels and mets, but nothing came of it. It got to the point where a reunion with the Twins was on the table, but that ended when the team traded for Manuel Margot.
For what it's worth, the contract Taylor got from the Pirates is the exact same amount of money the Twins will pay Margot. The only difference is Pittsburgh is getting him as a free agent while the Twins traded a Top 10 prospect for Margot.
Now Taylor gets another chance to prove he's worth a decently sized deal next winter, especially if he builds on what he did with the Twins last year.