1:12pm: The Pirates have officially announced the deal.
9:05am: The Pirates are in agreement veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen, per the team’s social media account this morning. Per a report from Kody Duncan, it’s a one-year deal that guarantees McCutchen $5MM. Despite the team’s announcement of the reunion, the transaction has not yet been made official.
McCutchen, 38, returns to Pittsburgh for his 12th season with the club and 17th season in the majors. Selected by the Pirates eleventh overall in the 2005 draft, McCutchen debuted with the club in 2009 and quickly established himself as a franchise player. He was the face of the Pirates throughout the 2010s until he was traded to the Giants prior to the 2018 season, and enjoyed an otherworldly five-year run in Pittsburgh where he slashed .302/.396/.509 (151 wRC+) en route to an MVP award, four Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and five All-Star appearances.
In his five seasons away from the Pirates, McCutchen was no longer the impactful bat he was at his peak but nonetheless remained a solid, steadying presence in the lineup for the Giants, Yankees, Phillies, and Brewers. In 549 games for those clubs from 2018 to 2022, McCutchen hit a respectable .242/.343/.423 with a 110 wRC+. While he lacked the consistent power and high batting averages of his days in Pittsburgh, the veteran still provided value by getting on base at a strong clip thanks to a fantastic 12.7% walk rate during that span.
After the first below-average offensive season of his career with Milwaukee in 2022, he returned to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $5MM contract prior to the 2023. He’s since signed identical contracts in the 2023-24 and now the 2024-25 offseasons, and the year-to-year arrangement seems to be working out quite well for both sides as the Pirates inch closer to a return to contention for the first time since McCutchen’s first stint with the team came to an end. Meanwhile, McCutchen has continued to age gracefully with solid production as the club’s regular DH over the past two seasons. His overall numbers in that time are remarkably similar to the five years he spent playing for other clubs, as he’s hit .243/.352/.403 with a wRC+ of 110. Since returning home to Pittsburgh, McCutchen has also reached a number of impressive career milestones including 2,000 hits, 1,000 walks, and 300 home runs.
Looking ahead to 2025, McCutchen figures to provide the Pirates with his typical steady production at DH. It’s the club’s second major move of the offseason after swapping Luis Ortiz to the Guardians in order to land Spencer Horwitz. McCutchen and Horwitz by themselves aren’t likely to dramatically alter an offense that finished third from the bottom in wRC+ with a figure of 86 that bested only the Rockies and White Sox, but there’s reason to believe the club plans to make additional moves as the offseason continues. Previous reports have connected the club to the corner outfield and bullpen markets this winter, and plenty of interesting players remain available in free agency and on the trade market at those positions. While the Pirates are hardly ever particularly big spenders, the club’s $79MM payroll projection for 2025 from RosterResource is $8MM below the club’s 2024 payroll, suggesting that there’s at least some room for additional moves even after bringing back McCutchen.
What????!!!!
The Yankees offered Stroman to the bucs for 3 hotdog vendors. They declined.
At this point, I’m hoping the Jays wake up from their slumber and trade for Stroman.
I think I’d rather have 3 Sugardale vendors if I was being honest
Nutting wanted just the hotdogs in the carts, not the vendors. Gotta keep the vendors on payroll whereas the hotdogs themselves lower expenses. I kid.
Nutting’s big move and he was saving it for Christmas. You don’t want to make your big move right out of the gate. You save it. As far as Stroman goes forget it. Even as bad as he is he makes way too much money. Unless the Yanks were paying all but a million dollars, Even the Hot Dogs were too much.
Anywhere else would feel wrong
He already played for multiple teams lol.
and it felt wrong 🙂
The only positive to the Bucs offseason every year…
Least surprising move of the offseason.
So far, the least surprising move will overall be Kershaw back to LA.
surprising?
This was expected since the owner said Cutch is welcome to play for the team until he decides he retire
It was just a matter of when he signed not if he wanted to play
That’s … that’s what he said
Reading comprehension is not part of his arsenal.
I kinda love this for the Pirates and McCutchen.
I hope it was for another 1 year/$5M haha.
Proves no such thing as inflation
Yeah. How will the poor guy feed his family?
Now bring back Marte and all will be right in the world.
Deja vu?
@178. The Yankees offered 3 hot dogs, not hot dog vendors. It was just 3 hot dogs. They also offered DJL for half a hot dog. The Pirates still said No.
let me guess, you were the class clown in school
great gesture BUT I have been wondering if this (assumed) commitment has influence over Pirates effort to add FAs. Their ownwershit limits their signings.
Good signing but it sends a false message to Nutting that he only needs to spend $5 million to get a MLB player. He doesn’t want to sign anyone over this amount since he considers it an overpay. Cutch should have asked for much more and see if he gets a return call.
5 million for a DH that’s playing 120 games for you and will pass Clemente on Homers as a Pirate is a good investment.
They have 22 million from Taylor Champen and Perez being gone go get a real bat trade Keller for for cost controlled offense and see what happens with the division
$22 Million more for his pocket
That’s money in this trash ownership’s pocket. And this signing is good PR for the true believing fans
I still wonder where the moron poster is who last summer said he “knew” Nutting reinvests “every penny he makes back in the team”. Or the poster who wants us to believe that Nutting doesn’t make nearly as much as what published reports over the years
Nutting is our Mister Potter. Unfortunately, there is no George Bailey coming over the hill to save us from more of the same garbage baseball
not true
This is the amount Cutch said he would play for, beginning 2 years ago when Cutch called Nutting personally
I seriously doubt that this signing blocked them from pursuing someone better like a Santander or Pederson. If it wasn’t McCutchen, it would’ve been another $5 mil player (or less).
does anyone ever think that maybe players don’t want to sign with the Bucs?
I know that if I was to free agent I wouldn’t have to consider signing because no matter where well I played, at the deadline I would be traded
You know, I’d agree with that if it weren’t for the Royals signing a supporting cast last off season. Or the A’s—the A’s!—signing players this off season
I do agree that any player would be willing to listen but then laugh at low ball offers
I don’t believe Cherington even reaches out to the mid tier players anymore. We laughed at the Tellez signing last year, a bottom of the barrel deal. But the GM proved that yea, they can go lower and gave away a starting pitcher for another guy who’ll be a trivia question in a couple years
It’s a sick joke
If offers are the same they won’t sign with the Pirates. But $1M more and show them where to sign. Players are signing deals everyday with teams that will not win a World Series. Most players care about winning just as much as Nutting. They will usually sign with the highest bidder.
Even as a Cubs fan I like Cutch. What a feel-good Christmas signing. Pirates never go anywhere anyway, so why not?
As a pirate fan, he hit 20 or so home runs so yes, it feels good, but this off season has been typical pirates BS as usual. Nutting is the worst ever owner
Cutch deserves a plague or statue outside PNC Park. He’s a folk legend out there. Love to see him finish out his playing career in those colors. Anything else would be wrong.
Haha, I know that’s a typo, but hilarious
I know that you don’t know much about Cutch or his relationship with the team and city of Pittsburgh
TheMan – Reading comprehension is essential
plague – /plāɡ/ – noun
a contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes ( bubonic plague ) and sometimes infection of the lungs ( pneumonic plague ).
plaque – /plak/ – noun
1.an ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event.
blah blah bl sh
who cares, Einstein?
you’re another exhausting human being
Man…..why aren’t you just the pleasant little fella….about as pleasant as a 3 finger rectal exam.
I don’t understand your particular brand of crazy but I do admire your total commitment to it.
Have a nice day
His “plague” has been playing for a miserly owner who will provide him with no shot at winning anything other than a pierogi race
A worldwide Andrew McCutchen plague would make the world a better place. There aren’t too many people in this world that are a better human being than Cutch.
If I catch McCutchen 24 will I hit lead off home runs? I didn’t like the trade when the Giants acquired him and still wish we had kept Reynolds but I did enjoy watching him play while he was in the Bay Area.
A plague of niceness. We really need one of those right about now.
Good for Cutch and the Pirates.
Furries.
He’ll miss them as the Pirates will be in Seattle
Some players just don’t know when to hang it up.
Smh go somewhere
Clearly now is not the time for Cutch to hang it up since a major league baseball team offered him $5 million to play baseball.
I think I just got my 3rd one right
3 more than me! Nice work
This was shocking and out of left field!
Lol
Glad they resigned him even if it was never in doubt. And the way that the Hall of fame is going… yeah Veterans committee elects him in around 2045.
The way the Hall of Fame is going, I’ll be elected by 2037. Right after Paul Casanova and Ron Kittle.
Any one really surprised? even with the decline he was still around average overall. Not a big bat the team needs though.
An average bat improves the overall offense right now. So even taking the sentimental aspect out of this it’s still a good baseball decision for the team.
It’s the cheap decision. It’s the PR decision
Nothing more. I like Cutch but hoping he hits over 20 homers again this year is just another of the many ones this house of shaky cards this “lineup” is built upon
Guy’s gonna rake!
I’m officially disappointed in the Pirates off-season. This is a waste of a roster spot. I would much rather see these bats go to someone who might contribute to the next Pirates winning team someone like Billy Cook or Nick Yorke. I don’t care if Cutch hits his 240th home run in a Pirates uniform. More gimmicks and more wasted money from Nutting.
Yorke and cook probably will be playing OF and 1st
there’s still 2 roster spots left, Cook
and Yorke already are on the roster
I agree with you about this pathetic franchise. But where Cutch is concerned, it’s yet another PR move from their greed obsessed owner and nothing more
Nutting is looking to do nothing in terms of spending money. He knows his revenue streams that come from MLB/TV and other sources will only increase
It’s not personal. He may be a beautiful Child of God for all I know. But as an owner, he’s MLB’s Mister Potter, a miserly curmudgeon that we are blessed with
when I recently read the President of Baseball Operations for the Bucs say that their only focus is on winning, I thought he must be talking to a gullible fans who will spend their hard earned money to attend games and watch the Pierogi races and Saturday’ night fireworks
There are only 38 guys on the 40 man and both Cook and Yorke are on the roster and on the bench now. Who exactly do you think Cutch is blocking at DH?
Clutch really is a class act. To have the equanimity of already having made his millions and being willing to accept the same $5 million year after year speaks volumes about his character. Baseball just wouldn’t feel right having him play anywhere else.
Perfection. Now for the love of God surround him, the young guns, and Reynolds with some players!
Mets just gave their 4th starter 25 million – which is actually 37.5 million – to pitch in 27 games that’s pretty good.
The Mets are a large market team with a very good broadcast network, the Bucs are a small market team and a lousy broadcast network
people like you are exhausting
In a move surprising no one…
Not surprising but not bad. Cutch should be wearing a Pirates uniform if he’s going to continue to play
Let’s also give a shout-out for the short-term trade of Cutch to SF for Bryan Reynolds and Crick.
Still pissed about that trade. And I was pissed at the time too, same with the Beltran trade.
Love seeing Cutch in a Pirates uniform.
And water is still wet.
……as it should be!! A class act!
Yep. MLB salary situation is so broken
Cutch will always be a Pirate, and good for him, and for them. Here’s hoping the best of good fortune for this season.
Much more deserving Hof than parker
We know, you don’t think Parker deserves a plaque at the HOF but overall, he’s had a better career than Cutch
you’re also exhausting
Ummm no…but also, ummmm…it’s not an either/or question.
While I’m glad they re-signed him, this pathetic franchise and its greed obsessed, carpetbagging owner have done nothing this off season. Worst off season in decades
What an absolute joke of a baseball franchise
Cutch is like the tired old uncle that is the last family member at the party when you just want to put the day behind you.
I would rather have Cutch than Tellez , DLC and a half dozen other worthless players Cherington has signed since he was hired
Santana got $7 mil more for the same stats?
The $5 million that Cutch got was his agreed upon salary
Another words he offered his services for that amount
Are they cheap? Absolutely but this isn’t on Cutch
Still waiting for the Bucs to make a real move to improve this team, otherwise they are just waiting to see what they can get for Skenes in 3 years!
If I were Andrew McCutchen, I would negotiate some sort of stake in the team. Also, I love the fact that he is with them again.
This had to happen. Congrats to one of the truly great guys in the game on getting to ride off into the sunset of his career on his own terms.
Nick, trading for Spencer Horwitz is not a major move. It’s underwhelming at best.
Loyalty. I’m betting other teams would have offered Cutch more than five mil. But good for him, regardless. Hope he can retire a Pirate.
Thank you i’m a Cub fan but his a future HOF guy who wants to be there in Pittsburgh good sign . if game on the line thats a scary PH