To Cutch Or Not To Cutch? The Pirates Perceived Conundrum

Time is ticking down, and quickly, to the Pittsburgh Pirates welcoming pitchers and catchers. Before you know it, position players will officially begin working out at Pirates City. One of, if not the biggest, questions surrounding veterans showing up is, is Andrew McCutchen going to be among the first to walk through the clubhouse?

McCutchen returned to the Pirates fold in 2023, after five seasons with four clubs. In the last three seasons, McCutchen was paid $5 million annually. For his designated-hitting role, a veteran of his accomplishments, this has repeatedly proven to be a bargain for the club. McCutchen’s presence in the Pirates’ clubhouse is priceless, too.

With all the remodeling Pirates’ general manager Ben Cherington has been doing this offseason, there is still no signed contract with McCutchen’s name scribbled on it. Why?

Well, there are two theories, as I see it, why the 39-year-old, 17-year MLB veteran is in “baseball limbo”. Does the club bring him back for an 18th season, and perhaps his retirement year as a player, due to what he means to the franchise and his past accomplishments? Or, since it is baseball business, do the Pirates decide to cut bait and sign someone who potentially can be more productive at the plate as a regular designated hitter, and could still fill in one of the outfield positions when necessary?

Emotion versus production value: the battle continues to go back and forth. It seems in this case that the dollars are there for McCutchen’s return. Coming back for a final, victory lap campaign in the Gold and Black, at a reduced deal, say $3 million, appears fair for both parties. A reduction in salary shouldn’t be seen as an insult to all that McCutchen has accomplished in uniform. It’s business sense.

McCutchen would be brought back out of respect for the Pittsburgh community icon that he is, and for what he would contribute to the lineup as a part-time option for manager Don Kelly. However, if the Pirates are in the position to claim a free agent such as Marcell Ozuna, an Atlanta Brave for the past half dozen seasons, how would you pass on the opportunity?

Maybe, there’s a trade for an everyday third baseman the Pirates could be working on, a younger player with more run-production capabilities than McCutchen. Such a transaction would be hard to ignore, as well.

Crunch time is here. You must wonder if other MLB clubs are making inquiries to McCutchen. Perhaps he is waiting for a final answer from the Pirates on his future with them before moving on to Plan B?

In most cases, you don’t make money on what you did yesterday. What can you do today to make business stronger and more successful, for all, is a strong business outlook. Whatever McCutchen’s future is or isn’t with the Pirates, clearly, club chairman of the board Bob Nutting will have to sign off on it.

McCutchen’s situation shouldn’t be a distraction from the successful transactions completed by Cherington this offseason. Ryan O’Hearn, Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum, Gregory Soto, and Mason Montgomery lead the list of talent that will make the Pirates more competitive than in 2025.

Personally, I’m in favor of bringing McCutchen back to Bradenton and Pittsburgh for one last season. But see, I’m an emotional type of person. The idea of McCutchen bowing out of baseball in a Marlins or Orioles uniform is no less than blasphemy. On a retirement day at PNC Park, not only should it fill every seat, but it would bring proper closure to an important relationship between Pittsburgh sports fans and one of its bona fide heroes.

No more nail-biting for Pirates fans concerning McCutchen’s Pittsburgh future – please. A quick thumbs-up or thumbs-down from management is needed.