Faces around McCutchen changing

Andrew McCutchen has watched the slow but steady exodus from the Pirates clubhouse over the last two years as the pieces that helped the team to three straight playoff appearances moved on.

From Neil Walker to Russell Martin to Francisco Liriano to Mark Melancon to A.J. Burnett, the faces that were an integral part of the team’s success are gone via trades, free agency or retirement.

But McCutchen remains, at least for now.

The Pirates held on to their five-time All-Star center fielder at Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, instead sending longtime reliever Tony Watson to the Dodgers for two prospects and bringing in 40-year-old Joaquin Benoit from the Phillies to fill Watson’s seventh-inning role.

Not exactly an all-in approach for a club that entered Tuesday 51⁄2 games behind the Cubs in the crowded National League Central.

Asked what he made of the Pirates’ moves, the 2013 NL MVP shrugged.

“We didn’t make many,” said McCutchen, who later added the Pirates will “just work with what we got here. It’s other guys’ jobs to do that.”

The team sought a trade partner for its franchise cornerstone last December but couldn’t find the right deal. It was more of the same seven months later as Monday’s deadline came and went with McCutchen still in black and yellow.

“I’ve been here the longest and seen people come, seen people go,” he said. “It’s something I’m never used to, something I can’t control, but we have a great group of guys here.

“If everyone does their job individually, we’ll do all right as team. We’ve done that (before).”