The Pittsburgh Pirates are open to re-signing Andrew McCutchen, but is it the right move for the team's future?
After an incredible 18 Major League seasons, with 12 of those spent in the iconic black-and-gold of the Pirates, Andrew McCutchen has expressed his strong desire to continue playing for the team he's so closely associated with. Back in August, he made it clear that he wanted to return for another season, acknowledging that his performance in the 2025 season wasn't his best. "I have to do what I need to do to… show that I was able to have a good year and still can play the following year," McCutchen stated, emphasizing that he doesn't want to be a player who is just "filling in a spot" without making a significant contribution.
As McCutchen heads into his age-39 season, there hasn't been much chatter about his market value. The prevailing assumption is that the Pirates are his most likely, if not only, destination. When asked about McCutchen at the recent PiratesFest fan event, General Manager Ben Cherington explained that the team is still in the process of assembling its roster before finalizing any decisions about McCutchen's role. "Andrew has meant a ton to the team. He’s had an incredible run at two different times. Certainly his legacy as a Pirate is secure," Cherington commented. He further elaborated, "Everybody with the Pirates, it’s our desire to maintain a really good relationship with Andrew well into the future. 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 win games when you’re at the ballpark in June and July….Our approach this offseason has been laser-focused on what gives us the best chance to win more baseball games in Pittsburgh than we have in the past seasons. That’s gonna continue to guide our decisions."
Cherington added, "So much respect for Andrew. That relationship is really important to us. We’ll continue to communicate with him directly as the team comes together. We have more work to do."
But here's where it gets interesting: McCutchen's 2025 stats showed a .239 batting average, .333 on-base percentage, and a .367 slugging percentage, with 13 home runs over 551 plate appearances. This translated to a 95 wRC+, meaning he was slightly below league-average offensively. While this was only the second time in his illustrious career that he dipped below the 100 wRC+ mark, most of his advanced Statcast metrics were also just average, with the notable exception of a strong 12.2% walk rate.
These numbers aren't ideal for a player who is primarily a designated hitter at this stage of his career, having played only 20 games in the outfield during his recent return to Pittsburgh. The Pirates appear to have already addressed the DH position by signing Ryan O’Hearn, who might share duties at first base and DH with Spencer Horwitz. Both O’Hearn and Horwitz are left-handed hitters, which could potentially open a spot for McCutchen as a right-handed bat, perhaps used sparingly against left-handed pitchers.
And this is the part most people miss: Cherington's comments suggest the Pirates are still actively seeking ways to improve the team. If the choice comes down to McCutchen or a younger, more versatile player, the latter might be a more strategic option for the Pirates. The club's primary objective this offseason has been to bolster their offense. With additions like O’Hearn, Brandon Lowe, Jhostynxon Garcia, and Jake Mangum, the Pirates are hoping to significantly improve their offensive ceiling and floor. Naturally, a bounce-back season from stars like Bryan Reynolds or Oneil Cruz would also be a massive boost. Despite McCutchen's 2025 numbers, his 95 wRC+ still ranked fourth among all Pirates hitters, highlighting the offensive struggles of the team last year.
Here's a point that could spark some debate: If McCutchen were any other player, the decision to move on from an aging, DH-only bat would likely be straightforward. However, parting ways with a franchise icon like McCutchen isn't something Cherington or owner Bob Nutting seem eager to do unless absolutely necessary, or if McCutchen decides to retire on his own terms. A significant reason McCutchen returned to Pittsburgh before the 2023 season was his desire to be part of the team's next winning era. Yet, with seven consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates are still trying to emerge from their rebuild.
Wouldn't it be the ultimate fairytale ending for both McCutchen and the Pirates if he could be part of a winning team, perhaps even making a playoff appearance, in his final season? His previous one-year contracts were signed earlier in the offseason, but there's still ample time before Spring Training for a deal to be struck.
What do you think? Should the Pirates prioritize sentimentality and bring back their beloved icon, or focus on building a more competitive roster for the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
