Earlier this offseason the Pittsburgh Pirates signed outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a one-year, $5 million deal. McCutchen, 37, is entering his 16th season in the MLB and is coming off a partially torn Achilles he suffered in his left foot on Sep.4.
McCutchen has had quite the career since entering the major leagues in 2009 with the Pirates, a team he wishes to finish his career with. In his career he has achieved the following accolades:
- 2013 NL MVP
- 5x All-Star
- Gold Glove Award (2012)
- 4x Silver Slugger Award (2012-2015)
- Roberto Clemente Award (2015)
McCutchen had a batting average of .256 last season to go with 12 homers, 43 RBIs, 55 runs, and 11 stolen bases in 112 games with most of them being the designated hitter.
So how does McCutchen help the Pirates who finished (76-86), fourth in the NL Central Division last season benefit from McCutchen re-signing with the team?
A Veteran Presence
McCutchen is the longest-tenured Pirate who has been a part of the organization dating back to 2009. There are 14 guys on the active roster currently 27 years old or younger.
If you look at the full 40-man roster it also consists of numerous rookies and players with five years of experience or less. Having a player with the class of McCutchen who has accomplished a lot as an individual player, has been in playoff games, and has seen the highs and lows as a player with the organization.
The Pirates haven’t made the postseason since 2015, and losing can affect the confidence of many young players so having a veteran in the locker room such as McCutchen can help in what is a long grueling season.
A Reliable Hitter
Having an efficient and powerful hitter in baseball is one of the many recipes for success and McCutchen has a career batting average of .276, an on-base percentage of .369, and a slugging percentage of .465.
There’s a reason he was the designated hitter for the Pirates last season, especially considering they ranked 24th in batting average (.239), and 22nd in runs (692).
With the Pirates struggling mightily to get any offense going, they will need a healthy McCutchen and his prowess at-bat to help them win games.
A Good Outfielder
McCutchen is still capable of getting it done in the outfield having been a Golden Glove recipient in 2012.
With the Pirates struggling mightily offensively last season and being 22nd in ERA (4.60) and WHIP (1.38) they’ll need to have a reliable defense at base and in the outfield to help them win games.
Verdict
McCutchen coming off a torn Achilles at the advanced age of 37 might be an insurmountable task to overcome especially if you expect him to perform at an All-Star level.
However, until he fully rehabs his injury, he can still provide a great veteran presence in the dugout, practices, and so forth that can teach the youngsters the ins and outs of the game and how to be a true professional from preparation to food diet.
McCutchen is one of the greatest Pirates of all time and looks to try to finish his career healthy and hopefully have a shot to win what’s missing on his resume… A World Series Title.
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