Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen publicly lashed out at his treatment from the franchise Saturday in a late-night social media post in response to comments by general manager Ben Cherington at PiratesFest regarding the free-agent designated hitter’s future.
“There’s more work to do and I’m not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me,” McCutchen posted on his official X account. “Rip the jersey off of me.”
I wonder, did the Cards do this Wainwright/Pujols/Yadi? Dodgers to Kershaw?Tigers to Miggy? The list goes on and on. If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years. Shake that… https://t.co/oB8Nq1bjng
— Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) January 25, 2026
Cherington was asked about whether the Pirates had plans to bring back the 39-year-old McCutchen, a five-time All-Star and 2013 National League MVP who has spent 12 of his 17 major-league seasons with the club and ranks among its all-time leaders in most offensive categories.
“The great thing about baseball fans in Pittsburgh is how strongly you feel about people that have meant a lot to the team. Andrew has meant a ton to the team,” Cherington said during the Ask Pirates Management Q&A session at David L. Lawrence Convention Center. “He’s had an incredible run in two different times with the Pirates. Certainly his legacy as a Pirate is secure. Our desire, everybody at the Pirates desires to maintain a really good relationship with Andrew well into the future.
“Then we come back to our team. What is the job? The job is to build a team that gives us the best chance to be winning games when you’re at the ballpark in June and July, and that’s where I see that passion come out. That’s ultimately what our job is and what we aim to do. So our process this offseason has been laser-focused on what gives us the best chance to win more baseball games in Pittsburgh than we have in the past seasons. That’s going to continue to guide our decisions. So much respect for Andrew. That relationship is really important to us, and we’ll continue to communicate with him directly as the team comes together. We have more work to do.”
McCutchen became a fan favorite in his first eight seasons with the Pirates, serving as a star center fielder and the catalyst in leading them to end two decades of losing seasons with three consecutive wild-card playoff appearances. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants in January 2018, then was dealt to the New York Yankees before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. After a five-year hiatus, McCutchen returned to the Pirates in January 2023, signing the first of three one-year, $5 million contracts with the team.
McCutchen batted .239/.333/.367 last season, leading the Pirates in walks (67), finishing second in hits (114) and third in doubles (22), home runs (13), RBIs (57), on-base percentage and OPS (.700). He was among their best hitters in the first half, batting .267 at the end of June before slumping to a .167 average in July. His 0.1 bWAR was the third worst of his career, and McCutchen knew his future was uncertain after his final game at PNC Park.
“We’ll see what happens,” McCutchen said after a Sept. 21 game against the Athletics. “Obviously, a lot of that stuff is out of my control, so I just need to do my part. I do want to continue playing, so wherever that may be. I’m looking forward to seeing where the offseason takes me. We’ll move on from there.”
The Pirates haven’t re-signed McCutchen, instead prioritizing acquiring a pair of sluggers: two-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade and signing All-Star first baseman/designated hitter/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract. McCutchen re-signed with the Pirates on Dec. 23, 2024, so this marks the latest he has been unsigned since rejoining the club.
In a social media post at 11:27 p.m. Saturday, McCutchen wondered whether the St. Louis Cardinals subjected Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina to such treatment, let alone the Los Angeles Dodgers to Clayton Kershaw and Detroit Tigers to Miguel Cabrera.
“The list goes on and on,” McCutchen wrote. “If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years. Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente.
“You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasn’t a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and I’m not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me. You don’t get to write my future, God does.”
