‘I felt like I was home’

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - As he began his homecoming weekend at PNC Park, former Pirates infielder Josh Harrison sat down with Pirates Owner Bob Nutting and Assistant General Manager Kevan Graves. But before Harrison spoke, he took care of some important business.

After spending the final five seasons of his MLB career jumping between five different franchises, Harrison ensured his career would end where it started by signing a one-day contract with the Pirates Friday. It was a true full circle moment for one of Pittsburgh’s most influential players in recent memory.

“I’ve gotten the question ‘how does this feel?’ a lot, and before today I didn’t really have an answer,” Harrison said regarding his retirement finally being made official. “It feels real now. To be able to put on a jersey that meant a lot to me and my family, I think that’s when it really hit. Definitely a good feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Though he was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 6th round of the MLB draft in 2008, that doesn’t mean the Pirates thought Harrison wasn’t a skilled player. Just over a year after he was selected, the Pirates’ staff made it a priority to acquire Harrison. In a multi-player trade, they did just that.

“I had the opportunity to be a part of the Pirates for his entire career as a Pirate, and it was special to watch. I still think back to our trade room in 2009 and our scouts saying they saw this player and we needed to go get him. At the end of the day, they called him the type of player you want on your team and not to play against,” Graves said.

And according to Harrison, the sudden transition into the Pirates organization was seamless.

“From the minute I was traded over back in 2009, I felt like I was home. From the guys that were already here, to the organization, it just felt like a place I knew I could flourish at. (Pittsburgh) has treated me like family even though I’m from a rival city (Cincinnati),” Harrison said.

During his eight seasons in Pittsburgh, Harrison played over 800 games and finished with a .277 batting average. He was named a National League All-Star during two of those campaigns (2014 & 2017), the first of which was arguably his best with the team. In 2014, Harrison logged a .315 average, .837 OPS and ended the year ninth in NL MVP voting.

His presence was a large reason why the Pirates were able to string together three straight postseason appearances (2013-15) during his stint there, something that Nutting said was especially memorable for him personally.

“As a player, what he did was remarkable. Played with grit, played with energy, played with excitement. Whether it was the rundowns, the smile or the commitment as he came off the field. He was such an important part of those teams (2013-15) that were really important to me, this organization, and to Pittsburgh. It meant all the difference in the world. Bringing postseason baseball back to Pittsburgh, we all remember what that atmosphere was like,” Nutting said of Harrison.

In addition to those All-Star honors, Harrison also earned the team’s Heart and Hustle Award in 2014, which is given annually to an active player who “best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.” Harrison mentioned that he wouldn’t have received that award if it wasn’t for the hard work ethic his siblings instilled in him.

“(My work ethic) was a testament to my older brothers Shawn and Vince. They used to put me through the wringer. I knew I was skilled, but playing against them I had to play a lot harder, so what looked like me playing hard was actually me envisioning both my brothers out there,” Harrison said.

While the Pirates take on the New York Mets this weekend, the team Harrison actually made his MLB debut against, he'll be reminded at every turn of the sizable impact he left on both the Pirates organization and the city of Pittsburgh.

“It was easy to play for a city that welcomed me with open arms,” Harrison said.