In two preceding postseasons, it seemed a formality that Andrew McCutchen would sign for another year with the Pittsburgh Pirates. When he returned in 2023, “Cutch” made it clear he wanted to finish his career in Pittsburgh, where it started. This resulted in three consecutive one-year, $5 million contracts.
Andrew McCutchen May Have Different Role if He Returns with Pirates
But this time. . . I can’t explain the feeling. It’s like there’s something in the air, and it’s not the stench emanating from Acrisure Stadium after a weekend where Pitt and the Steelers lost big games by a combined score of 64-14. What’s in the air is the feeling that McCutchen may not be back with the Pirates in 2026.
“We’ll see what happens. Obviously, a lot of that stuff is out of my control. I need to do my part. I obviously do want to continue playing, wherever that may be.”
Andrew McCutchen on his future with the Pirates. pic.twitter.com/zuH5egzmOR
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) September 21, 2025
Cutch signed his last contract on December 23 of last year, so maybe it’s too early to think about it. However, there hasn’t been any noise from either side yet. There are a few reasons why it might not happen.
A Player in Decline
At age 39, McCutchen isn’t the same player he was in 2013, when he was the National League Most Valuable Player with the Pirates and led the league with 7.8 WAR. He’s strictly a designated hitter now, seeing time in the outfield only rarely. He’s the last link to the most recent run of success in Pirates history. However, Cutch didn’t return to Pittsburgh for a farewell tour. He was one of their better offensive performers in 2023, hitting .256/.378/.397, 12 HR, and 43 RBI. He wasn’t bad in 2024, either, adding more power. That season, he hit .232/.328/.411, 20 HR, and 50 RBI. Those numbers don’t tell the full story, though. From the leadoff spot in the order, where he found himself in 81 games, he did a nice job, posting a .343 OBP.
Unfortunately, 2025 was a different story. McCutchen hit .239/.333/.367, 13 HR, and 57 RBI. His .700 OPS ranked third on the team, but that’s not saying much, considering the Pirates’ offense was abysmal. Furthermore, he looked like a player in decline in the second half. He finished the first half of the season with a not-too-bad, by 2025 standards, .255/.335/.381 slash line. But in the second half, he struggled to the tune of .211/.330/.343, hitting .197 in September and October. Among players considered primarily designated hitters by MLB.com, McCutchen was just the 18th-best in the majors. It’s a spot where the Pirates could use an upgrade.
A More Positive Note
On a more positive note, in 2025, McCutchen hit .267/.353/.389 against left-handed pitching. He might work as a platoon partner with a left-handed-hitting designated hitter. However, it would have to be a left-handed hitter who can play in the field as well. In this era of expanded pitching staffs, it’s tough to carry two position players who don’t play in the field. Although he hasn’t played badly when needed there, McCutchen has played just 20 games in the outfield since his 2023 return, and none since May 12. It’s as if the Pirates brass is afraid McCutchen will fall apart if exposed to the field for more than a handful of games. Contrast that with their handling of Tommy Pham, who’s just one year younger than Cutch but who played 117 in the outfield last season, and it’s hard to figure.
Pirates Leaving No Stone Unturned
In any event, it’s clear that the Pirates are leaving no stone unturned in improving their 2026 offense, at least if reports coming out of the rumor mill are true. They’ve been rumored to have “shown interest” in the likes of Josh Naylor, J.T. Realmuto, and Kyle Schwarber. (There have been contrary reports over whether they even made an offer to Naylor. “Showing interest” may have meant that the Pirates had internal discussions about it.) Schwarber, of course, is a designated hitter. The rumors about Naylor, a first baseman, and Realmuto, a catcher, are interesting in that those players don’t play positions where the Pirates have a pressing need. Last season’s first baseman, Spencer Horwitz, led the Pirates with a .787 OPS. The recent tender of a contract to Joey Bart gives the Pirates four catchers with major league experience.
The Pirates’ positions of need are left field, third base, and shortstop. The fact that they’ve shown interest in players who man other positions speaks to their desperation to improve their offense in 2026. If that means casting aside a franchise icon, they may do so.
Does McCutchen Even Want to Come Back?
Finally, it seems that McCutchen is worn out by the losing. One wonders if he even wants to extend his comeback with the Pirates to a fourth year. Last August, he groused about the dimensions at PNC Park, echoing sentiments expressed earlier by Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Said McCutchen to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “I’ve asked for that left-center wall to be moved in for so many years. For some reason, they won’t do it. It’s time to make an adjustment to the ballpark. It’s not the answer for everything, but I think it’ll help.” For the record, Cutch hit better at home in 2025, .244/.358/.353 vs. .234/.307/.381 on the road. Nine of his 13 homers were hit away from home.
That same month, McCutchen told José Negron of DK on Pittsburgh Sports, “You gotta pay to win. It’s not always the team that spends the least that makes the playoffs. Very rarely does that happen. For us, it hasn’t happened. We can’t just take a shot in the dark and hope. We have to make a push.”
The Last Word
It’s not easy for a team to part with a player who has meant so much to the Pirates as McCutchen has. The guess here is that he may be asked to take less money for a lesser role. It will be a long offseason. We’ll see what it holds in store.
Main Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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