Andrew McCutchen, the face of the Pirates in the 21st century, is staying in Pittsburgh. The team announced Monday that the franchise icon is returning for the 2025 season. According to a source, the deal is for one year, $5 million.
Another reunion between McCutchen and the Pirates was always expected. The 38-year-old designated hitter/outfielder expressed multiple times last year that he wasn’t ready to retire yet, and that he wanted to stay with the Pirates. The team felt the same way, valuing what he brought on the field, in the clubhouse and to the city.
"We've said before, I'll say it again, we'd love to find a way for Andrew to finish his career in a Pirates uniform,” general manager Ben Cherington said at his end of season press conference in October.
McCutchen was once again one of the Pirates’ top bats in 2024, hitting 20 home runs (including the 300th of his career) with a .232 batting average and .739 OPS while coming back from a partial Achilles tear from the year before. It was his first 20-homer campaign since 2021.
While he may not be the same player he was during his MVP season in 2013, there are some aspects in which McCutchen excels. His 17.2% chase rate on pitches out of the zone was the lowest of all qualified hitters last year, according to Baseball Savant, which translated to a strong 11.3% walk rate. He also barreled up the baseball at a higher clip in 2024 (12%), which translated to strong peripherals that supported his above-average offensive production.
McCutchen played just 21 innings in the field last season, as lingering injuries and a desire to keep his bat in the lineup meant he was used almost exclusively as a designated hitter. It seems safe to assume that he will again be mostly a DH again, so the team should still be on the market for a corner outfielder.
Even if he likely won’t play the field much, McCutchen brings a lot to this team that is looking to produce more offense in 2025. His .739 OPS was the fourth highest on the team last year and the second highest for a right-handed hitter behind Joey Bart (.799). He also started 81 games as the team’s leadoff hitter, giving stability for a vital spot in the order that the Pirates had not had in recent seasons.
McCutchen belongs in the discussion of the greatest players in franchise history, ranking in the Pirates' top 10 for games played (ninth, 1,578), hits (10th, 1,667), total bases (ninth, 2,791), home runs (fourth, 235), runs batted in (seventh, 818) and more. He’s five home runs from matching Roberto Clemente’s 240 for third all-time in franchise history, and 35 RBIs away from tying Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski for sixth.
Of course, McCutchen’s impact goes well beyond just numbers, his five All-Star nods, four Silver Sluggers and the MVP and Gold Glove. He became the heart of the playoff teams of the last decade and helped revitalize Pittsburgh baseball, both for his play on the field and impact in the community, winning the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award. It’s why he became so beloved by many and why he is in any discussion of the Pirates’ greatest players.
He revealed in September that comes with one caveat, that he wasn’t a lifer. He was traded before the 2018 season and spent five years away from the organization before returning in 2023.
That time away left “a sour taste in my mouth,” McCutchen admitted in September while expressing that he wants to stay a Pirate for the rest of his career.
The Pirates feel the same way.
“It was important for me and for everyone within our organization that Andrew remain in a Pirates uniform. It is where he belongs,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting in a statement. “In my conversations with Andrew, he made clear his strong desire to help the team in every way he can, both on the field and in the clubhouse. I am glad he is back.”
In his 17th Major League season, McCutchen re-joins a team that is looking to take a step forward to being a contender. That’s where having a veteran like him can help.
“There are things you can’t look on paper and see it,” McCutchen said over Zoom on Monday. “You just go out there and do it. We got to do those small things. A lot of small things. It’s what I’m here for. That’s what I try to do and try to bring to the team on top of what I can do on the field.”