While outfielder Adolis Garcia struggled in his first series playing before unforgiving Philadelphia Phillies fans, Texas Rangers veteran Andrew McCutchen thrived in his new environment.
Known as one of the MLB’s most amiable personalities, McCutchen actually took pity on the partisan crowd at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday.
After connecting on his first home run for his new team, McCutchen, who spent three seasons with the Phillies (2019-21), crossed home plate and extended a mock apology to a friendly-faced trash-talker, who asked him to “stop hurting us.”
Andrew McCutchen fitting in with Rangers
Filling a designated hitter role, McCutchen’s three-run, fourth-inning home run helped the Rangers secure an 8-3 win Sunday. After the Rangers dropped the season opener last Thursday, McCutchen helped create a series win by contributing a 10th-inning RBI single Saturday night.
McCutchen later laughed at the moment with the fan hoping for pity.
“I was like, ‘No, dude, I can’t do that, I’m sorry,'” McCutchen said, as reported by ESPN. “When I hit the homer, he was looking right at me. I was like, ‘Dude, I’m not sorry.’ It’s a good exchange between me and him, but he’s one of my guys.
During his opening three games with the Rangers, the 39-year-old is proving he can still compete at the major-league level. A 2013 NL MVP and five-time NL All-Star, McCutchen entered Monday with 333 career home runs in 2,265 at-bats.
Against the Phillies, McCutchen went 4-for-9, producing two doubles and four RBI. The Rangers (2-1) were scheduled to open a three-game series against the host Baltimore Orioles (2-1).
How long will the Rangers stick to their preseason plan of using the former Gold Glove center fielder nearly exclusively at DH?