Benches Clear, Pitcher Ejected in Pirates vs. Nationals Game
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals saw benches clear in their latest game at PNC Park.
Nationals right-handed pitcher Jorge Lopez faced Pirates right fielder Andrew McCutchen in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Lopez, on a 1-1 count, threw a pitch that rose up and in, forcing McCutchen to dive to the ground to avoid the ball hitting his face.
While the umpire crew decided on a warning or an ejection for Lopez, McCutchen and Lopez both shouted words at each other, which saw both benches clear.
HELLLLLL NO YOU DON'T THROW AT ANDREW McCUTCHEN'S HEAD. HELL. NO.
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) April 17, 2025
Benches clear, and Lopez was ejected pic.twitter.com/h1d6EqLCar
Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz held back McCutchen and then had to hold back left fielder Tommy Pham, both of who didn't care for that pitch from Lopez.
This was also the following at-bat after Lopez hit Pirates designated hitter Bryan Reynolds.
The umpire crew then ejected Lopez following this and the Nationals brought in right-handed pitcher Eduardo Salazar.
Salazar walked McCutchen on the next two pitches and then Cruz hit a grandslam on the next at-bat, putting the Pirates up 6-0.
McCutchen and Lopez had prior history, with McCutchen hitting a solo shot off Lopez when he was pitching for the Chicago Cubs.
Reynolds would also hit a three-run home run off Lopez in that same inning, igniting a comeback in the eighth inning for a 5-3 victory at Wrigley Field on Sept. 2, 2024.
This serves as McCutchen's 12th season with the Pirates. He has played in 13 games so far, hitting .270/.357/.405 for an OPS of .763 with 10 hits, one home run, two doubles, five RBIs and five walks to eight strikeouts.
McCutchen served mostly as a designated hitter last season, playing in 120 games with 104 hits, 18 doubles, 20 home runs and 50 RBIs while slashing .232/.328/.411 at 38-years-old for the Pirates.
The Pirates selected McCutchen with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft out of Fort Meade High School in Fort Meade, Fla. They convinced him to forgo his commitment to Florida, offering him a $1.9 million signing bonus.
McCutchen made his MLB debut in June 2009 and had a great rookie campaign, slashing .286/.365/.471, while adding 124 hits, 26 doubles, nine triples, 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and 54 walks to 83 strikeouts. He finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
His continued to improve over the coming years, with five consecutive All-Star appearances for the NL from 2011-15, four consecutive Silver Slugger Awards from 2012-15 and a Gold Glove Award in 2012.
McCutchen won the NL MVP in 2013, as he slashed .317/.404/.508 with 185 hits, 38 doubles, five triples, 21 home runs 84 RBIs, 27 steals and 78 walks to 101 strikeouts. He also helped the Pirates end a streak of 20-consecutive losing seasons and make the playoffs that year for the first time since 1992.
The Pirates traded McCutchen after the 2017 season to the San Francisco Giants. He spent part of the 2018 season there before they traded him to the New York Yankees.
He signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies that offseason, keeping him there through the 2021 season. He also played the 2022 season for the Milwaukee Brewers.
McCutchen re-signed with the Pirates on a one-year, $5 million contract before the 2023 season. He would do the same prior to the 2024 season and again for this season, marking his 11th with the franchise.
He has played in 1,591 games, made 1,677 hits, 331 doubles, 236 home runs, 45 triples, 823 RBI, 185 stolen bases and 823 walks, while slashing .284/.375/.475 with Pittsburgh.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.