Pittsburgh Pirates' Legend Makes Major Declaration About His Future

Signed to a one-year deal this past offseason, Pittsburgh Pirates' legend Andrew McCutchen has given a major signal about his intentions moving forward.

Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) jogs off of the field after securing the final out of the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park on June 9. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Pirates' outfielder Andrew McCutchen says that he doesn't want to retire after this season and that his intention is to come back and play in 2025.

Pirates' writer Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had that information:

“In my mind, this isn’t my last year,” McCutchen was telling me after the Pirates’ 4-1 victory over the Reds at PNC Park. “As long as my body holds up and I’m not embarrassing myself out there, I wanna keep going.”

The 37-year-old McCutchen is hitting .241 this season while leading the Pirates in homers with 10. He's got 22 RBI and a stolen base as well, while providing veteran leadership and a .338 on-base percentage.

He also hit his 300th career home run this season and remains a draw for Pirates fans who have enjoyed watching him since the beginning of his career.

Mackey also provides more data that shows that McCutchen still adds value to a roster:

It’s also more than bat speed, a category in which McCutchen ranks in the 66th percentile MLB-wide.

Much of McCutchen’s success at this age has been pitch recognition, knowing the zone. His chase rate (97th percentile) remains elite, the same for how frequently he walks (78th). 

It's unclear if the Pirates, who are trying to come on the other side of a rebuild, will be interested in McCutchen in 2025, but you have to imagine they value the clubhouse culture that he fosters and the continued productivity.

He's in his 16th year with the Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers. He's spent 11 of those years with the Pirates and is a five-time All-Star who also won the 2013 National League MVP.

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