This offseason has been, compared to years past, a more positive one for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They traded for Brandon Lowe and signed Ryan O’Hearn, and combined with promising futures for Konnor Griffin and Bubba Chandler, things are looking up.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all well and good this offseason. There is one major issue that the Pirates are currently dealing with: an awkward contract dispute with Andrew McCutchen.

With the Pirates not wanting to bring him back, and McCutchen wanting to return, there is an awkward disconnect in talks. And according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Pirates know that they “screwed up” in these talks with their franchise icon.

Pirates know they ‘screwed up’ Andrew McCutchen contract talks

“The Pirates screwed up,” Rosenthal writes. “They know they screwed up, according to multiple people in the organization who were granted anonymity for their candor.”

Pittsburgh moving on from McCutchen isn’t a major surprise, but the lack of proper communication with their franchise legend has made things a lot worse than they needed to be.

If they directly told him their plans, which wouldn’t include McCutchen in them, he still wouldn’t have taken it well, but there at least would be more clarity.

Right now, the Pirates and McCutchen are in a very awkward standoff, as the franchise icon wants to return, while the Pirates are planning to move forward without him.

More: Pirates’ stance on trading Paul Skenes called into question by The Athletic

This report from Rosenthal, indicating that multiple people within the Pirates facility know they messed up this contract dispute, is not a good look for the Pirates.

McCutchen posted on Twitter/x: “I wonder, did the Cards do this with Wainwright/Pujols/Yadi? Dodgers to Kershaw? Tigers to Miggy? … Rip the jersey off of me. You don’t get to write my future, God does.”

He’s very much not happy with the current situation, and the Pirates know they messed things up. No one comes out of this as a winner.

Rosenthal isn’t shutting down a possible reunion between the Pirates and McCutchen this offseason, but it doesn’t change that this entire situation could’ve been avoided with better communication from the Pirates on their plan with McCutchen going forward.

More MLB news: