Andrew McCutchen landing with Braves should make Pirates fans appreciate what he meant

There's something bittersweet about seeing Andrew McCutchen put on yet another uniform again.

The Atlanta Braves signing the former Pirates MVP to a minor league contract is hardly a blockbuster move. At 39 years old, McCutchen is trying to prove he still has enough left to help a contender after struggling with the Texas Rangers earlier this season. Whether he ever reaches Atlanta is beside the point.

For Pirates fans, this is another reminder that one of the greatest players in franchise history is nearing the end.

Braves give Andrew McCutchen another opportunity to earn his way back to the big leagues

McCutchen's second stint in Pittsburgh was never about recreating his MVP years. Those days were always going to stay in the past. Instead, he returned to provide leadership, professionalism and a connection to the most successful era of Pirates baseball in decades. He delivered exactly that.

His production fluctuated over the last three-plus seasons, but he remained one of the most respected voices in the clubhouse while embracing a mentorship role for a young core that included players like Oneil Cruz and, more recently, Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez. He understood what it meant to wear a Pirates uniform because he helped restore credibility to the franchise once before. That influence can't be measured by OPS or WAR.

Of course, Pirates fans will always wonder what could have been if the organization had never traded McCutchen after the 2017 season. He deserved to finish his career in Pittsburgh the first time around. Instead, he spent years bouncing between San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh again, Texas and now Atlanta.

The Pirates eventually brought him home, but only after the competitive window that he helped create had long since closed.

Maybe the Braves simply need veteran depth after moving on from another former Pirate in Rowdy Tellez. Maybe McCutchen never plays another Major League game. Either outcome feels secondary. His legacy was secured years ago.

McCutchen was the face of three consecutive postseason teams, the 2013 National League MVP and the player who helped awaken a dormant fan base that had waited two decades for meaningful baseball. Few players have ever meant more to the Pirates than he did.

If Atlanta gives him another chance, Pirates fans should be rooting for him. Not because another comeback will change his legacy, but because after everything McCutchen gave to Pittsburgh, he has earned the right to write the final chapter of his career on his own terms.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow