SAN DIEGO -- As the last connection on the roster to the Pirates’ run of three straight postseasons, Andrew McCutchen’s place in franchise lore is secure.
Standing alongside Roberto Clemente takes it to another level.
McCutchen jumped all over a curveball from Padres right-hander Randy Vásquez in the third inning of the Pirates' 6-4 loss on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park for his 240th home run in a Pittsburgh uniform. That matches Clemente for No. 3 on the Pirates’ career charts.
Willie Stargell tops the list with 475, followed by Ralph Kiner with 301.
“Played long enough to have the opportunity,” McCutchen said with a smile.
Long enough and well enough.
“You get chills thinking about it,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “That’s iconic territory. For Cutch to tie [Clemente], he’s had a heck of a career. He’s a heck of a player, and he’s having a good season for us. He’s hit some big home runs for the Pirates and did it again today.”
McCutchen, 38, spent his first nine seasons with the Pirates and was an All-Star five times, including during each of the playoff seasons from 2013-15. He returned as a free agent in 2023 and has re-signed each offseason since.
In his second go-around in Pittsburgh, McCutchen has mostly seen duty as a designated hitter. But he has been so much more -- clubhouse leader, motivator and, yes, a veteran of winning Pirates baseball.
“You can talk about the leadership qualities that he brings, how he talks to guys and helps them navigate the big leagues,” Kelly said. “But Cutch is a professional hitter. You don’t get to 240 and tie Roberto by accident.
“He knows what he’s doing up there. He’s got a plan. He’s got an approach. There’s a lot of things he helps with the younger guys, the next generation, to bring them up and teach them some of the things he knows.”
Starting pitcher Andrew Heaney, who departed in the sixth inning with a 4-2 lead Sunday before the Padres secured victory with a four-run seventh inning, is in his first season in Pittsburgh. He has noted McCutchen’s value as a teammate.
“Cutch is such a good calming presence,” Heaney said. “He knows when to say the right things. Obviously, he knows how to play the game right. He plays the game well. He just has a good attitude. It’s just relaxing when you see a guy who’s had as much success as he’s had and he doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. Other guys take after that.”
McCutchen has 324 homers across all his 17 MLB seasons. He has cracked the club top 10 in several categories with his Pirates totals -- walks (fifth, 845), doubles (seventh, 338), RBIs (seventh, 836), games (ninth, 1,630), hits (ninth, 1,713) and runs (10th, 953).
The milestone homer traveled a Statcast-projected 365 feet to left field with a 104.7 mph exit velocity. A young Padres fan who came up with the ball got to meet McCutchen outside the Pirates’ clubhouse after the game and got a signed ball in exchange for the home run ball. Then came more.
“I went, ‘A ball’s not enough.’” McCutchen said. “So I went back and grabbed a bat and signed that, too.”
Just as a ball wasn’t enough, one tenure with the Pirates wasn’t enough. McCutchen has 37 homers in his second stint, including five this season. His .770 OPS is well above the MLB average of .712. Over his past 10 games, his slash line is .351/.467/.568.
McCutchen is not limping toward his milestones.
“To do it for the first nine years [in Pittsburgh], be gone for five and still come back and have an opportunity to do it, it’s unique, in a sense,” he said.
Knowing this spotlight moment came in defeat, McCutchen didn’t bask in personal glory. Self-deprecation was his theme.
“I didn’t know it was going to take me this long to get five homers,” he said.