Andrew McCutchen Sends Message After Comments on Pirates Future Surface

Andrew McCutchen Clarifies Pittsburgh Columnist's Social Media Post

Jason Mackey took to social media to discuss the conversation he had with McCutchen ahead of the Pirates' series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mackey wrote of his conversation with McCutchen, "Says he's not talking about anything future-focused with the Pirates. As for his own situation, says he does want to play in 2026."

When the reporter asked McCutchen if that would be in Pittsburgh, he responded, "I want to win. That's all. I have to do what I need to do, too."

McCutchen was quick to respond to Mackey's post, "Dont take that quote out of context. “I have to do what I need to do, too,” meaning I need to be able to produce offensively as well."

The Pirates are dead last in the NL Central with their 52-73 record. As it stands, they trail the first-place Milwaukee Brewers by 27 games. Only the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies have a greater division deficit.

Offensively, the 17-year MLB veteran has one of his best averages dating back to 2021. Only 2023 has seen McCutchen's batting average be higher than the .241 it currently is. The outfielder is only six games shy of the amount he played in that season.

McCutchen's Post on Monday Says A Lot

MLB players don't always take the time out of their day to respond to a reporter, let alone a local one. McCutchen's time in Pittsburgh has meant a lot to him as it's clear he doesn't want Pirates fans to think he's turning his back on them.

While his batting average is up, the Pirates veteran's OPS has fallen from .739 to .700. His WAR is below 1.0 for the second straight season. Currently, it's only 0.2.

There's much more to baseball than just a batting average. Even though McCutchen has one number going back up, most of his numbers are pointing towards his better days being behind him.