When Andrew McCutchen signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates last offseason, we all thought he was going to retire with the team that gave him a platform to become a megastar.
He had a very solid season and showed he still belongs.
Now, instead of retiring, McCutchen looks likely to return for another season, and the Pirates are after his services.
“The Pirates are ‘hopeful’ Andrew McCutchen will re-sign with the team for the 2024 season, Ben Cherington said today,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.
The Pirates are “hopeful” Andrew McCutchen will re-sign with the team for the 2024 season, Ben Cherington said today. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 9, 2023
People might not have an idea of what McCutchen means to the city of Pittsburgh.
The franchise’s last playoff games, in the mid-2010s, were with him as a star player.
He even won an MVP award during his prime, but when it was time to pay him, the Pirates traded him as they usually do with stars about to get expensive.
He returned this year to play 112 games for the improving Pirates, in which he slashed a cool .256/.378/.397 with a .776 OPS.
He hit 12 home runs, scored 55 runs, drove in 43, and walked 75 times.
He did that as a 36-year-old veteran.
Now, having recently turned 37, he is looking to extend his playing career and the Pirates are a logical destination.
The team had a 76-86 record, much better than in recent seasons, and McCutchen was part of the improvement.
He not only performed at a high level, but also served as a mentor for some of the Pirates’ most talented players.
Hopefully for fans, he can return for at least one more season.
