PHILADELPHIA — Less than a month ago, Andrew McCutchen was a “90% chance” that he wasn’t even going to play baseball this season.
And on Thursday?
He had not only made the Rangers roster, but was in the opening day lineup, getting introduced to actual applause from the otherwise hostile crowd at Citizens Bank Park. Oh, yeah, and this may be kind of a regular deal.
Manager Skip Schumaker indicated McCutchen would be more than just an occasional DH in his early season lineup. DH is officially a platoon, that is if it doesn’t lean more toward McCutchen after his three-week run with the Rangers and a poor performance by Joc Pederson. McCutchen will get all the lefties, it seems, and some right-handers, too. McCutchen hit .429 this spring with a 1.270 OPS in 21 at-bats; Pederson hit .175 with a .548 OPS in 40 at-bats.
Rangers
Related
“He’s not coming just to get another couple days of service time,” Schumaker said. “He’s coming to win and try to get a ring. That’s on his mind. He still wants that on his resume. It feels like he has a lot left.”
McCutchen, 39, went unsigned all offseason as he waited for Pittsburgh to come to him with another one-year deal similar to the deals he operated on the last three seasons there. He’d even had a conversation with owner Bob Nutting that he felt had given both sides a good understanding, but nothing ever came.
It left him scrambling to find a job and motivated to prove himself right about his ability to contribute. As he sat at his locker before Thursday’s game, an old-school heating pad wrapped around his calf to warm up, McCutchen said he felt especially grateful for this opening day.
Texas Rangers outfielder Andrew McCutchen smiles while talking with reporters before an exhibition baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Globe Life Field on Monday, March 23, 2026, in Arlington.
Smiley N. Pool / The Dallas Morning News
“Honestly I thought there was like a 90% chance that I wasn’t even going to be playing in 2026 at one point of my offseason,” McCutchen said. “There was a mental side that was really on the fence of ‘I guess I might not want it to be,’ but I also understand that not every person gets the opportunity to just say, ‘Hey, I’m actually done.’
“Sometimes it happens the other way. And I realized that was a possibility. So, to go from that in a very short amount of time to being here in this moment, that’s crazy. When I’ve sat and reflected on it, it’s very emotional for me. So, I’m super grateful and thankful. I’ve always been grateful, but being in this position in this moment, I mean it’s hard to put into words. But I think people will realize the appreciation I have for this game and I’m gonna play it as hard as I ever have, if it not harder. I’m going to get every bit of ink out of this pen, until it’s dry.”
Twitter/X: @Evan_P_Grant
Why catcher Danny Jansen will start more than Kyle Higashioka early in Rangers’ season
Jansen, whom the Rangers signed to a two-year contract this winter, started 82 games last season.
Texas Rangers announce opening day lineup, which includes Andrew McCutchen
Only two lefty bats will start Thursday for the Rangers in Philadelphia.
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.