Pittsburgh Pirates Celebrate Young Fan Who Caught Andrew McCutchen's 300th Home Run

A 9-year-old boy named Toren Mehta caught Andrew McCutchen's 300th career home run last month, so the Pittsburgh Pirates gave him the VIP treatment at PNC Park.

May 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (22) smiles in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Last month, Andrew McCutchen went yard for the 300th home run of his storied MLB career.

The longtime Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder reached the major milestone during a road game against the Philadelphia Phillies back on April 14. Still, he was able to recover the home run ball, thanks to a fan who was willing to give it back to him after the game.

Toren Mehta, a 9-year-old boy, gifted McCutchen the keepsake after his father, Vinay, caught the ball.

As it turned out, Toren had been battling acute leukemia since October 2022.

Once the Pirates learned about Toren's condition, the organization decided to give him the VIP treatment. Toren was a guest of honor at PNC Park on Saturday, throwing out the first pitch before the Pirates' game against the Atlanta Braves.

Toren also got a custom Pirates jersey, spent batting practice with the team and got to watch the game from owner Bob Nutting's personal suite. Naturally, Toren reunited with McCutchen and got to meet several other Pittsburgh players as well.

With Toren in the crowd again, McCutchen went 1-for-4 at the plate. The Pirates defeated the Braves 4-1, improving to 6-3 across their last nine contests.

A day to remember. 💛

Toren was the lucky fan at Citizens Bank Park who caught and gifted back Andrew McCutchen’s 300th career home run ball. Following this memorable moment, the Pirates heard Toren’s story - the 9-year-old has been battling acute leukemia since October 2022.… pic.twitter.com/ed11ODKKtO

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 25, 2024

As the Mehta family shared in an article with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Toren is currently undergoing maintenance therapy, and his condition is far more manageable than it was a year ago.

There have been plenty amazing moments over the course of McCutchen's career, considering he is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger and former NL MVP. His fateful run-in with the Mehta family will certainly be remembered along with all the home runs, walk-offs and web gems, though, and Toren surely won't forget it either.

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