Pittsburgh Pirates fans ecstatic as team kicks off the offseason by trading for first baseman Ji-Man Choi

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that they have acquired Ji-Man Choi from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are getting minor league pitcher Jack Hartman in return. Choi will most likely be the team's full-time starting first baseman.

Ji-Man Choi spent more than four seasons in Tampa Bay. He'll immediately give the Pirates a boost in the offense. They've had a hard time trying to replace Josh Bell after they traded him to the Washington Nationals in 2020.

Pittsburgh Pirates fans are more than pleased with the signing. They're ready for their team to get competitive after years of mediocrity. It hasn't been fun being a Pirates fan the last couple of seasons as they've been trying to rebuild.

While this isn't a blockbuster trade, fans think Choi will be a great everyday player for them. He's a proven veteran who doesn't seem to feel pressure. He can help a lot of young Pirate players out as they are just beginning their careers.

The move seems to have surprised Pittsburgh fans. They're not used to their team making moves to better the team. They're used to the front office getting rid of any player that gives the Pirates a chance at success.

Fans have high expectations for their team now. They're ready for the team to take control of the NL Central, a division that seems to be up for grabs every year. Ji-Man Choi is the perfect piece for the Pirates who are ready to start winning baseball games.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are going in the right direction

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been in the process of rebuilding for quite some time. They haven't had a winning season since 2018 when they were barely over .500.

The last time Pittsburgh made the postseason was in 2015 when they faced the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card. Their last postseason win came in 2013 when they won a Wild Card Game to advance to the NLDS.

They have been drafting, acquiring, and molding prospects into their system. We have already seen some of them in action, like Oneil Cruz

Cruz was eye-popping for the Pirates last season. He gave the fans a lot to look forward to in regards to the team's future.

The Pittsburgh Pirates could surprise a lot of baseball fans over the next few seasons, given their talent and prospects.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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