Former Pittsburgh Pirate and National League MVP, Andrew McCutchen, will be on the opening day roster for the Texas Rangers. This will be McCutchen’s 18th MLB season.

After going most of the offseason with little to no communication from Pittsburgh’s front office McCutchen signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on March 6. The 39-year-old was with the team for spring training in Arizona for just three weeks but impressed Chris Young, the Rangers’ president of baseball operations, with his play and leadership qualities.

“There were a number of factors that went into it, but ultimately we felt like Cutch earned it just with his performance,” Young said. “The way he’s hit the ball, the way his approach is — [we] felt very good that he’s going to help us win a lot of games.”

While in camp ‘Cutch only had 21 at bats, but made the absolute most of his opportunities. He’d finish spring training with a slash line of .429/.556/.714 with an OPS of 1.270. The former-MVP tallied nine hits, scored five runs, hit 7 RBIs and hit one homer while reaffirming that he’s still got some game left in him.

“I was wrote off in a lot of places, honestly told to retire. But I knew deep down there was something in me that told me that there was still more in the tank and that I could continue to keep playing,” McCutchen said. “For them giving me the opportunity … I’m going to make sure that it’s worth it from both of our ends.”

McCutchen who was drafted by the Pirates in 2005 and then made his MLB debut with the club in 2009 spent his first nine seasons with Pittsburgh. In that time frame he was Baseball America’s Rookie of the Year, the NL-MVP in 2013, a Gold Glove Defender in 2012, a four-time Silver Slugger, a five-time All-Star and was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in 2015. The Fort Meade native helped lead the franchise to a playoff berth in 2013 and beat the rival Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card round. Prior to this the Pirates endured a period of 20 consecutive losing seasons, a North American sports record.

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The Pirates traded McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. ‘Cutch would go on to play for the Giants, Yankees, Phillies and Brewers before returning to the Pirates in 2023 where he would spend three more seasons with the club before not being resigned this offseason. Last season he had 13 home runs and 57 RBIs with the Pirates.

Now with the Texas Rangers the veteran outfielder and designated hitter is in a locker room with several budding superstars and his leadership will bring just as much to the clubhouse and his bat. Texas manager Skip Schumaker outlined what he envisions for his new leader as a member of the Rangers.

“The more guys around that we can have like Andrew McCutchen, the better,” Schumaker said. “I think he’s going to really help a lot of these young guys play with a different mentality and edge. He came in and performed well right away. He fit right in in the clubhouse, can still play the outfield at times.”

Schumaker went on to say that while McCutchen won’t be a full time outfielder, he is a valuable piece to have in the clubhouse and on the bench.

“I don’t think you’ll see him all the time out there, but if we need him, he’ll play out there,” Schumaker said. “But just a really valuable piece to either come off the bench in a high-leverage spot or also potentially start against left-handed pitching.”

McCutchen echoed the importance of his new role.

“I told them I am at their disposal — no matter what it is, no matter what they need from me, I’m here, and that’s what I’m here for,” McCutchen said.

More than anything this is an opportunity for McCutchen to continue to play and if this is his last season to go out on his own terms, and he seems poised to take control of the situation both as a mentor and as a plug and play type of player in high leverage spots.

“This is the beginning for me to continue to keep doing what I’ve been doing since I got here. And understanding that just because I’m here doesn’t mean that I’m here to stay,” McCutchen said. “I have to remind myself of that every single day that I’m out here and that I am on the field. Even the days that I’m not starting, always knowing that there’s a way to improve, and for my peers and teammates, there’s something that I can do to be able to help them.”

The Texas Rangers open up their season in Philadelphia for a three game series with the Phillies. The Rangers will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Arlington from April 21-23. Barring any kind of reunion with the Pirates this season or a move to a team that will play in Pittsburgh this season, McCutchen will not play at PNC Park in 2026.

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