It’s official: Andrew McCutchen is returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Tuesday, the Pirates announced they had re-signed the former National League MVP to a one-year, $5 million contract.
McCutchen, 33, was traded from the Pirates to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. He then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019 and had a productive season, hitting .256 with 13 home runs and 59 RBIs.
The Pirates were in need of an outfielder and McCutchen was a perfect fit. He’s a fan favorite in Pittsburgh and his return should bring a spark to the team.
McCutchen is expected to be the Pirates’ starting center fielder and leadoff hitter. He’s a five-time All-Star and won the NL MVP award in 2013. He’s also a career .287 hitter with 203 home runs and 822 RBIs.
The Pirates are hoping that McCutchen can help them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015. They finished last season with a losing record (69-93) and have not had a winning season since 2015.
McCutchen’s return should bring some much-needed energy to the team and could help them turn things around. He’s a leader on and off the field and his presence should help the Pirates compete in the NL Central.
It’s great to see McCutchen back in Pittsburgh and it will be exciting to watch him play for the Pirates again.
