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Pirates better not botch Andrew McCutchen contract talks in offseason
He wants to come back. They want him to come back. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.
In many ways, Andrew McCutchen is synonymous with the Pittsburgh Pirates. After notching his eighth career 20-homer season with the club at age 37, he has practically achieved living legend status. If he continues his MLB career in 2025 – which he seems to have every intention of doing – it's nearly impossible to imagine him doing it anywhere but Pittsburgh.
As he enters the final stretch of his 16th MLB season (his 11th with the Pirates), McCutchen has told reporters that he wants to return for season number 17. He is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season, and given what he means to the franchise and the fact that he's coming off one of the best offensive campaigns of his career, it would seem foolish for the Pirates to let him walk and potentially sign with another team.
Fortunately, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington agrees. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Cherington said he would "love to find a way for Andrew to finish his career in a Pirates uniform" (via Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Cherington added, however, that contract discussions with McCutchen would not begin before the 2024 season is over.
This isn't necessarily cause for alarm; things played out similarly in 2023, when Cherington said he and McCutchen's camp would begin contract discussions in early October before the two sides ultimately agreed to a one-year deal for 2024 in December.
Pirates better not botch Andrew McCutchen contract talks in offseason
McCutchen is slashing 241/.338/.432 in 470 plate appearances this season and is 14 percentage points over league average in wRC+ for a second straight year. With that in mind, not to mention his valuable locker room presence, he would arguably be justified in asking for a modest raise over his current $5 million annual salary.
Still, at this stage in his career, McCutchen is likely to prioritize staying in Pittsburgh over maximizing his earning potential. He'll be serving himself to the Pirates on a silver platter this offseason, and likely at a hometown discount; fans had better hope that Cherington doesn't pass up a golden opportunity to bring him back on another one-year deal in 2025.
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