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Pirates’ Icon Andrew McCutchen Reveals Plan For Playing Future

Will he stay in Pittsburgh?

Andrew McCutchen has no intention of retiring after the 2025 season.

The 38-year-old outfielder is wrapping up his 18th season and 12th with the Pittsburgh Pirates. It may not be his last, as McCutchen told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey that he wants to keep playing next year.

However, McCutchen wouldn’t commit to re-signing with the Pirates this offseason. He recently indicated uncertainty about returning to Pittsburgh.

“I want to win,” McCutchen said. “That’s all. I have to do what I need to do.”

Once the face of the franchise, McCutchen returned to Pittsburgh in 2023 after stints with four different teams. The five-time All-Star made his fourth and most recent playoff appearance in 2018 with the New York Yankees, but McCutchen has never advanced beyond the divisional round.

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Barring a miracle, McCutchen won’t pursue his first World Series ring this fall. The Pirates are 14.5 games removed from a playoff spot with 37 games left in their season.

He’s a far cry from the 2013 National League MVP, but McCutchen has continued to hit in his later years. The four-time Silver Slugger is batting a passable .241/.327/.373 with 11 home runs in 106 games this season.

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That slash line won’t move the needle too much for a veteran designated hitter with better results against left-handed pitching, so McCutchen probably won’t find a much better contract than the one-year, $5 million deal he signed last offseason. A subdued market could precipitate another reunion, but McCutchen could accept a lesser role with a team he perceives as a more potent contender.

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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images