Andrew McCutchen’s comments raise questions about his Pirates future

As Andrew McCutchen tipped his batting helmet in appreciation to the standing ovation from the PNC Park crowd on Sunday, Pittsburgh Pirates fans were once again met with the same question they've had to face in each of the previous two seasons: Could this be the final home at-bat of McCutchen's Pirates career?

The outfielder-turned-DH was selected by the Pirates in the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft and made his Major League debut with them two years later. After spending the first nine seasons of his MLB career in Pittsburgh, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants after the 2017 season and spent time with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers before returning to the Pirates on a one-year, $5 million free agent contract in 2023.

McCutchen has since signed identical contracts to remain in Pittsburgh in 2024 and 2025. But now, the 38-year-old's future with the club in 2026 feels more uncertain than ever.

“We’ll see what happens,” McCutchen told reporters (including Kevin Gorman of TribLive) following Sunday's win over 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. I’ve got six games left, so I’ll try to finish the season strong.”

Andrew McCutchen’s noncommittal comments raise questions about his Pirates future

McCutchen has remained loyal to the Pirates, arguably to a fault. At 38 years old, he is in the twilight of his career, but he still wants to win – and yet, he continues to re-sign with a team that offers almost no hope of doing so.

Payroll limitations and a failing draft-and-develop strategy make a losing combination that has become the norm in Pittsburgh under current ownership and management. In fact, one of the only things this front office has done right in recent years is bringing McCutchen back into the fold.

He continues to be one of the Pirates' most effective and consistent offensive players, leading the team in on-base percentage this season (.336) while ranking in the top-three in virtually every other offensive category.

McCutchen responded with a message of gratitude to a social media post from his former Pirates teammate and current broadcaster Michael McKenry claiming that Sunday wouldn't be his final game at PNC Park. He has said repeatedly that he wants to play another year, and he's proven that he's capable of doing so at a high level – but you can't blame the guy if he ultimately decides to play for a team that actually gives him a chance to win before his career does come to an end.

McCutchen has shown tremendous loyalty to the Pirates throughout his career, but the front office has done little, if anything, to repay that loyalty. If he does come back next season, it won't be because the organization deserves it, and the front office needs to stop taking him for granted.