Andrew McCutchen Sends Suggestion to Pirates’ PNC Park

Why Does McCutchen Want This Change at PNC Park?

The Pirates hit the least home runs in baseball in 2025 at just 117, 31 home runs less than the next team, the St. Louis Cardinals at 148.

PNC Park had the least home runs hit in it in 2025 at just 116, which was 27 less than Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals play.

While the Pirates struggled as a group hitting for power, PNC Park is a tough place for hitters to show off their power, especially right-handed bats.

The left field and right field corners are close in distance, 325 feet and 320 feet respectively, but left field is much deeper, with left-center field at 383 feet and deep left-center field at 410 feet.

Right field has the benefit of being closer, 375 feet to right-center, but it is taller, with the right field wall, also known as the Roberto Clemente Wall, 21 feet high in honor of the Hall of Famer's jersey number.

The Pirates have added left-handed bats to take advantage of the dimensions of the ballpark this offseason in Brandon Lowe, who led all MLB second baseman with 31 home runs in 2025, and slugger Ryan O'Hearn.

McCutchen has had issues with left field in the past, especially left-center field. He hit just four of his 13 home runs at PNC Park last season and would want that part of the field moved in.

“I’ve asked for that left-center wall to be moved in for so many years. For some reason, they won’t do it,” McCutchen said in an interview with Kevin Gorman of the Tribune-Review. “There’s no point having it there. There really isn’t. It’s not like the ball rolls there. The grass catches it by the time it gets there, anyway. What’s the point of it being there? It’s not like we’re hitting so many more triples because that left-center Notch is there. It’s still not happening. I have mentioned that: What’s the point of it?”

Pittsburgh wouldn't be the first team to alter their dimensions if they decide to do so, outside Kansas City.

The Detroit Tigers moved their left-center field fence in from 422 feet to 412 feet at Comerica Park and shortened the fence from eight-and-a-half feet to seven feet prior to the 2023 season.

The Baltimore Orioles brought in their left field wall about nine to 20 feet at different parts ahead of the 2025 season, after originally moving their dimensions further out to prevent more home runs before the 2022 campaign.

McCutchen isn't destined to return to the Pirates next season, as he's still a free agent, but if he comes back for 2026, then the franchise moving the left field wall in would be a welcome sign for him.