Pirates Admit Mistakes With Andrew McCutchen Contract Situation
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla. and don't have one of the best players in franchise history on their roster.
Andrew McCutchen, who spent the past three years in his second stint with the Pirates as their designated hitter, is still a free agent and not with the team at this point of the offseason.
McCutchen was signed to his one-year deal each of the past three years heading into Spring Training, but there's uncertainty if he'll return to Pittsburgh for 2026, potentially his final season in the major leagues.
The Pirates haven't ended their discussions with the 39-year old, but some in the organization admit they've made mistakes in their dealing with McCutchen.
Pirates 'Screwed Up' with Andrew McCutchen Negotiations
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote a column on how the Pirates could've avoided the conflict they're dealing with right now on McCutchen.
McCutchen has taken to Twitter the past few weeks, acknowledging that he does want to play for the Pirates again and also in the outfield.
He also posted after PiratesFest at the David L. Lawernce Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh on Jan. 24 that he wanted to be there for the fans, felt slighted for it and desires a chance to play baseball in 2026.
Rosenthal spoke to people in the Pirates organization and they told him that they considered making their intentions known to McCutchen that they could guarantee anything past last season, but decided against that.
"The Pirates screwed up," Rosenthal wrote. "They know they screwed up, according to multiple people in the organization who were granted anonymity for their candor."
Why the Pirates and McCutchen Are at Odds
McCutchen has served as the Pirates starting designated hitter during this recent stint with the team.
He has had a solid tenure in his return with the Pirates, not nearly as good as his 2011-15 prime, but has produced from the plate and given fans something to cheer about during tough moments.
Batting Avg. | On-Base % | Slugging % | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
.242 | .345 | .391 | .736 | 2.3 |
Hits | Doubles | Home Runs | RBI | BB/K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
318 | 59 | 45 | 150 | 200/351 |
The Pirates have made offseason additions to their lineup, with the likes of power-hitting left-handed bats in second baseman Brandon Lowe in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays and free agent Ryan O'Hearn, who should thrive at PNC Park.
Both Lowe and O'Hearn can serve as designated hitter, plus the Pirates have internal options in returning players like Spencer Horwitz, center fielder Oneil Cruz, right fielder Bryan Reynolds and catcher Joey Bart.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke about McCutchen during the Q&A session at PiratesFest, but his answer lacked a clear decision, speaking instead about the relationship with him and that they have other work to do this offseason.
Does McCutchen Have Role with Pirates in 2026?
The Pirates have clearly had one of the best offseasons they've had in recent memory, as they've filled important roster needs and added depth.
This includes the likes of outfielders in Jake Mangum, an older rookie who made his debut in 2025, plus former top 100 prospect Jhostynxon García, both in the trade from the Rays and a trade with the Boston Red Sox, respectively.
These additions, plus Lowe and O'Hearn, give the Pirates a better lineup than they've had the past three seasons and hope from Pirates fans that they may end their long absence from the postseason.
McCutchen doesn't have a defined role in this Pirates team for next season, as there are already players that can fill the designated hitter role on the team and his lack of playing time in the outfield.
The Pirates do have an opening in left field, but McCutchen hasn't featured there since he returned, playing almost all of his 20 games in right field.
McCutchen is a right-handed bat, something the Pirates could use with how many left-handed bats they currently have in their lineup, and has put up solid numbers in his second stint with the team.
A 26-man roster gives the Pirates just 13 position players, with eight starters and five depth pieces, or four after the backup catcher.
Rosenthal reported that McCutchen met with Pirates owner Bob Nutting, who previously stated that the franchise star could stay with them for as long as he likes
Nutting is the ultimate person that will decide if McCutchen returns in 2026 and while there isn't a clear role for McCutchen, he may see his value with the team as important and also knowing how much the fans care about the Pirates legend.
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.