‘Rip the Jersey off of Me,’ Andrew McCutchen Not Retiring, Posts Message After Comments From Pirates GM
One of the biggest questions surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates in the weeks leading up to spring training is whether or not fan favorite Andrew McCutchen would be brought back for the 2026 season.
McCutchen, who was named an All-Star five times and won the 2013 National League MVP during his first stint in Pittsburgh from 2009-17, returned to the Pirates in 2023 and has spent the last three seasons back with the team who drafted him in the first round in 2005.
Since returning to the Pirates, the team has yet to sniff playoff contention. Late last season, McCutchen understandably expressed his frustrations with the team’s lack of winning. The 39-year-old has accomplished a lot in his career but has yet to reach a league championship series and hasn’t been to the playoffs since the 2018 season with the New York Yankees.
McCutchen opted to return to the Pirates in 2023 and expressed a desire to win in Pittsburgh instead of playing for a team with a better chance of doing that.
This offseason, the Pirates have shown much more urgency than in previous years with several notable additions. They’ve added two All-Stars to the roster in second baseman Brandon Lowe (Tampa Bay Rays) and first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn among several others.
But still with work to be done, McCutchen remains a free agent two and a half weeks before pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton.
The Pirates held their annual PiratesFest this weekend. One of the segments included fan questions directed towards management. As expected, one of the questions directed towards a stage with general manager Ben Cherington, manager Don Kelly and president Travis Williams was in regards to McCutchen.
Cherington’s answer was shared by MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf.
Several hours later, after social media stirred with reactions to what Cherington said, McCutchen responded with a clear message on Twitter/X.
McCutchen noted several notable players who continually retained by their teams deep into their careers, including Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers.
“There’s more work to do and [I’m] not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me, McCutchen posted in part. “Rip the jersey off of me. You [don’t] get to write my future, God does.”
The follow post can be found below:
Though there’s still work to be done, the Pirates have had a nearly flawless offseason up to this point. But they just pissed off a franchise icon and it remains to be seen if and when McCutchen will be brought back, and if and when the relationship can be amended.
More about:Pirates
I, like most Pirates fans, have very mixed emotions on this. The nostalgic part of me would like to have him come back, and maybe play a role in what might be a decent season. But then l wonder if we really have a roster spot for him anymore. He doesn’t pass the eye test for me anymore as an outfielder. He just can’t move. The only role we would have him for would be short side platoon, against lefties. Other days, the DH would be better covered by the more productive O’Hearn, Reynolds, or Lowe.
He would probably be insulted if the team approached him with an offer to be some sort of special assistant. Something to get him in the clubhouse. It’s being done around the league.
I live 800 miles from Pittsburgh and couldn’t attend the Fest, but have been a diehard fan for more than 70 years. The most “telling” thing in this whole story, in my view, is the almost indiscernible comment that the questions were pre-selected. That just says to me that the entire mgmt. team is afraid to respond directly and meaningfully to the fans. What kind of pathetic posture that is! I continue to have almost zero confidence in their ability to professionally run this needy franchise.
Tone deaf…
Cutch is trying to use his name for a paycheck that his ability cant earn. I said years ago when he tried to get an official scorer fired for giving him an error that he deserved.
Leadership, what a joke, what his leadership get them the last 3 years.
He’s a fan favorite & a fraud, yes both can be true. It’s time he goes away, what he’s doing is nothing more then emotional blackmail.
Pirates can either keep Cutch or have a chance @ winning, they can’t do both.
It’s time to move on from his whiny ego.
It’s sad to see things come to this. Mccutcheon and management. It does no good to see this for the future of the team. Last year I saw him strike out in critical situations too much. I loved seeing cutch play and I can see the fire of still wanting to play but he needs to know when it’s time to hang it up. I believe he would be better as an outfield coach than driving a wedge between him and management. Would love to see him on the team in that capacity.
I think Cutch has seen his last days as a Pirate player. He gave us all many thrills and memories to cherish. Personally, I’d like to remember the Cutch of times past where we were witness to his greatness, not as a shadow of his past. He can be a much more valuable asset to the organization he loves so much in a different capacity. Maybe as an outfield coach or something along those lines.