There’s no denying the impact, love, and legacy that Andrew McCutchen has left on the Pirates and the region.
The 2013 NL MVP brought winning baseball back to Pittsburgh and may one day have his No. 22 retired at PNC Park. But is it the last time McCutchen has donned the number on the diamond in the Steel City?
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McCutchen remains a free agent after concluding the third season of his second stint in Pittsburgh. During the ever-popular “Ask Pirates Management” segment of PiratesFest on Saturday, General Manager Ben Cherington was noncommittal on whether the Pirates will re-sign the former face of the franchise.
“Andrew has meant a ton to the team,” Cherington said, per Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. “He’s had an incredible run, in two different times with the Pirates. Certainly, his legacy is secure, and our desire — everybody at the Pirates would desire — to have him maintain a really good relationship with Andrew well into the future.”
Cherington may be referring to a connection with Pirates alumni and returning to team events in the future.
The more Cherington spoke on the topic, the more it sounded like the Pirates are moving on.
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“Then we come back to our team. What is the job? The job is to build a team that gives us the best chance to be winning games when you’re in the ballpark in June and July, and that’s where I see the passion come out,” Cherington said.
Following a season with PR nightmares, spotty attendance, and frequent “Sell The Team” chants, the Pirates were the most active they’ve ever been in the Cherington era in adding to the roster.
Pittsburgh signed first baseman/DH Ryan O’Hearn to the first multi-year deal since Ivan Nova, traded for 31 home-run hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe, and acquired outfielders Jake Mangum and Jhostynxon Garcia.
Cherington said their approach has been based on winning more games this year than previous seasons and “that’s going to continue to guide our decisions.”
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The Pirates, at least yet, haven’t deemed that McCutchen best puts them in position for this to come to fruition. This could be because they are chasing a bigger bat to acquire, or don’t want McCutchen back and haven’t wanted to tell him.
Cherington hasn’t been clear, but concluded: “So much respect for Andrew. That relationship is really important to us, and we’ll continue to communicate with him, directly, as the team comes together. We have more work to do.”
McCutchen was not in attendance at the annual fan fest held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
Cherington didn’t close the door on a reunion with McCutchen, but the more time that passes makes it more and more unlikely as we approach spring training.
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Frustrated by the process, McCutchen took to Twitter to express his feelings about being absent from PiratesFest.
He pointed to how the St. Louis Cardinals had a farewell season with Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, the Dodgers with Clayton Kershaw, and the Tigers with Miguel Cabrera as examples of franchise icons who had one final run and were either known, or strongly implied, that it was their final year.
“I wonder, did the Cards do this Wainwright/Pujols/Yadi? Dodgers to Kershaw? Tigers to Miggy? The list goes on and on,” McCutchen said. “If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years. Shake that little kid’s hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente.”
In 135 games, McCutchen hit .239 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs for the Pirates in 2025. A 17-year MLB vet who has spent 12 in the black and gold, McCutchen is a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner.
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McCutchen thinks the fan base deserves transparency. He believes it’s “bigger than baseball” with the relationships McCutchen has built with loyal Pittsburgh sports fans.
“You see, this is bigger than baseball!” McCutchen said. “Bigger than looking at a 40-man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity.”
McCutchen ranked second on the team in hits (114) and third in home runs and RBIs. He still lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Maria, who welcomed the couple’s fifth child this month.
“(I don’t know) what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is (that) though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before,” McCutchen said. “If there wasn’t a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised.”
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While the Pirates seemingly remain unsure if McCutchen has a role on the team in 2026, McCutchen isn’t ready to hang up the bats and cleats just yet.
“But not yet,” McCutchen said. “There’s more work to do, and I’m not done, no matter what label you try to stamp on. Rip the jersey off of me. You don’t get to write my future, God does.”
There may be a role for McCutchen, but much more minimal than as the starting DH over the past three years. O’Hearn will likely DH, but McCutchen could be a valuable asset to start against lefties.
In 131 at-bats last season against left-handers, McCutchen hit .267 with a .389 slugging percentage and .742 OPS.
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McCutchen’s leadership, passion for the city, and, more importantly, his still decent bat speed could make him a valuable asset as a pinch hitter late in games.
His eye for the strike zone may be an asset with the new ABS challenge system going into place.
The Pirates vastly improved their roster this offseason. The downside for many fans is that it likely came at McCutchen’s expense.
The Pirates and McCutchen could both benefit from one more year together, as long as the pieces go together for the Pirates to focus on getting back to the postseason for the first time in over a decade.
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