Top 10 Pittsburgh Pirates of the first half

Jul 11, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) rounds the bases on a game winning two run home run to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourteenth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 6-5 in fourteen innings. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

#1 – Andrew McCutchen

When push comes to shove, you would be out-thinking yourself if you felt that Andrew McCutchen hasn’t been the best player for the Pittsburgh Pirates so far in 2015. He may not put up the same gaudy offensive numbers that he di in 2013 or 2014, but he is one of the most consistently great and healthy players in the majors year after year. He leads the Pirates in batting average (.295), RBIs (56), on-base percentage (.392), hits (92), and WAR (3.2). He’s more than a worthy starter for National League in the outfield, and has been an exemplary player off the field for the Pirates, as he’s always been.

He’s been a clutch player for the Pirates this year as well, as shown by his two-run game-winning home run against the Cardinals on Saturday night. He’s also on pace to challenge his career-high mark of 99 RBIs and the .400 OBP mark that he’s eclipsed twice before. It may be tough for him to compete for the NL MVP this season with the likes of Bryce Harper and Paul Goldschmidt setting the world on fire, but if it weren’t for a horrid month of April, he’s likely be in that conversation.

There’s no reason not to like what Cutch has done so far this season. He’s impacted the game in every facet on a daily basis, and has battled through early-season questions and injury concerns with flying colors. He could easily eclipse the .300 average mark again this year, as well as the 100 RBI mark, and could help carry this offense despite concerns around him in the batting order.

Here’s to Cutch leading the charge for the Pittsburgh Pirates after the All-Star break.

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