Aging Andrew McCutchen hurting but hanging in for Pirates

Senior citizens eat free when they hit multiple home runs.

Holding the last place in the NL Central, the Pittsburgh Pirates have racked up a season-high nine-game losing streak and are in desperate need of a turnaround to save their playoff hopes. In desperate need of a rest or more is the aging Andrew McCutchen. Now 37-years old, it became apparent as of late that Cutch is not healthy but is dead set on continuing to be a leader on this Buccos squad.

“My 70 percent is better than 0 percent,” McCutchen said. “If I can swing the bat, I’m going to swing it. If I can’t run, I can’t run. But my job is to hit. I’m the DH. They’re not asking me to steal bases or anything. I’m just trying to do my job, keep the line moving, get the next guy up. … That’s what I’m going to do.”

This quote came off the heels of possibly McCutchen’s best performance of the season against the Dodgers, where he went 2-for-5 with 2 homers and 4 RBIs. Despite these heroics, David Bednar gave up two runs in extra innings to give Los Angeles the series sweep. More than that, McCutchen looked beat up. Almost a year removed now from the partial Achilles tear that ended his 2023, Cutch has been dealing with quad tightness, and prior to the last game against the Dodgers, took three days off nursing said issue.

“I took a few days off, and I’m like, ‘All right, I’m ready to go.’ That’s where I am now. Hopefully, I’ll wake up tomorrow and feel a little better. As long as I can swing, I’m going to get in there.”

Even still, it’s hard to ignore at this point in the season that the former-MVP has been effective as the Pirates’ DH this season. Far removed from his prime sure, but an average of .232 while knocking in 16 home-runs, 38 RBIs, and 59 runs scored is nothing to scoff at, but his leadership in the clubhouse is invaluable. This young team needs to know what it’s like to win and be a part of a winning ball club, and with McCutchen around, guys like Bryan Reynolds, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Paul Skenes have an example of what it takes to win.

In a part of the season where the outlook seems bleak, the team is still technically within reach of a Wild Card berth, but need to flip the script as soon as possible. Currently seven games back in the wild-card race, there’s still a path to the postseason, albeit a very long one. Manager Derek Shelton has taken note of the team’s state at this point, to include how McCutchen looks battling through his most recent injury.

“I would say swinging the bat, he’s fine, but he’s still moving gingerly if you watch him,” Shelton said. “If you get to just jog, then he’s in a good spot, but he’s still grinding a little bit. He’s able to get his swing off, obviously, but other than that, I think he’s still grinding a little bit.”

These are just the kind of problems that arise after playing in Major League Baseball for 16 years. Baseball is a young man’s game, and Father Time slows down for no one, and unfortunately we are starting to really see that at the forefront for Cutch.

I remember growing up, Andrew McCutchen was such a big star in the sports world and in Pittsburgh especially. The “Just ‘Cutch It” shirts with the Jordan-esque silhouette and the dreads flying around centerfield are such core memories for me and plenty of Pirates fans from our generation. Seeing our childhood star get to this point in his career is bittersweet, as everyone is so happy he found his way back to the Pirates but it is clear that the clock is ticking on his legendary career.

“The game takes no prisoners,” McCutchen said. “It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you did to get you there. You’ve got to show up the next day and be ready to win. Can’t feel bad for yourself. Game doesn’t feel bad for anybody. Game doesn’t care who you are. Game doesn’t care what you did last year. Game doesn’t care if you were an MVP or an All-Star. You’ve got to be ready to go the next day. That’s what I’ve learned.”