Joel Wilson – Staff Writer
jnw5443@psu.edu

On January 13, it was announced that Andrew McCutchen had signed a 1-year, $5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

This move came as a pleasant surprise to Pirates fans, who last saw McCutchen wear the Black in Gold in 2017.

Cutch, now 36 years old, was drafted 11th overall by the Pirates in the 2005 draft. He made his big league debut in Pittsburgh on June 4, 2009. That day, McCutchen contributed greatly to the Pirates 11-6 win over the New York Mets by going 2-for-4 with 3 runs, 2 hits, an RBI, and a walk while also committing no fielding errors. 

This was only a glimpse of what was to come from the young center fielder of Fort Meade, Florida.

In his 8-year stint with the Pirates, McCutchen accumulated an impressive collection of awards for his trophy case. He made the All-Star team 5 times from 2011-2015, won the Silver Slugger Award 4 times from 2012-2015, won the 2012 Gold Glove Award, was named National League MVP in 2013, and became the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award winner. 

McCutchen was also a crucial part of the Pirate team who, in 2013, gave the club its first playoff appearance since 1992. Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates would also make postseason appearances in both 2014 and 2015. 

As the years progressed, McCutchen’s skills slowly declined from their MVP season peak. While he was still a valuable member of the team, his bat no longer carried the same power as it once had, and his defensive prowess in centerfield regressed to the point where he was shifted to right field.

Finally, on January 15, 2018, the San Francisco Giants traded relief pitcher Kyle Crick and current Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds for Andrew McCutchen. 

McCutchen made his first non-Pirates appearance in PNC Park in May of 2018. He was warmly welcomed with extended applause and a video on the scoreboard commemorating his time with the club. 

The 2018 season would see McCutchen traded yet again. This time, to the New York Yankees. 

The Yankees, like the Giants, did not hold onto the former Pirate for long, trading him to the Philadelphia Phillies. While all of Pittsburgh thought that their former center fielder had chosen the wrong side of the Keystone State, McCutchen played on in the City of Brotherly Love from 2019 through 2021.

The 2022 season would see McCutchen in a new uniform again, this time with the Pirates’ division rival Milwaukee Brewers.

In Milwaukee, McCutchen served primarily as the club’s designated hitter. While he had not lost his speed, McCutchen slugged a career low .384. 

Now approaching what is undoubtedly the last few seasons of his career, the powers that be decided that it was time for Andrew McCutchen to return home to Pittsburgh. 

The move makes sense. 

McCutchen and his wife reside in Cranberry Township and have 3 children, one of which, a son named Steel in honor of Pittsburgh’s most famous industry, is almost of schooling age. It is reasonable to assume the McCutchen family wants to start settling down where they intend to live after their baseball days are over. 

With the return of a franchise player, there appears to be a spark of hope on the North Shore of Pittsburgh. 

With a phenomenal defensive glove at third base in Ke’Bryan Hayes, a powerful bat at shortstop in Oneil Cruz, a veteran presence in the outfield in Andrew McCutchen, and a promising farm system, there is potential, with good coaching, for the Pirates to contend once again for the National League Pennant.