Andrew McCutchen has hit the ground running in his attempt to make the Rangers’ Opening Day roster, as the veteran has a blistering .583/.706/.833 slash line over 17 Cactus League plate appearances. Nothing is yet guaranteed for Cutch since he is in camp on a minor league contract, yet the 39-year-old is using the rather awkward end of his tenure with the Pirates as some extra incentive.
“I haven’t been in this position, in a place where there are a lot of doubts from other people in quite a long time. I’m motivated in a different way,” McCutchen told the Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant. “I remember getting invitations to spring training when I was 20-21 years old, knowing I wasn’t going to make the team, but had the approach that I wanted to showcase that I can do this here, no matter the age. This is kind of the same thing, only the ages are different. I want to show people that I can continue to play this game at a very high level.”
McCutchen’s second stint in Pittsburgh began with two above-average offensive seasons, but he hit a more modest .239/.333/.367 over 551 PA in 2025, translating to a 95 wRC+ and the first sub-replacement (-0.1 fWAR) performance of his 17-year Major League career. Hitting in a pitcher-friendly venue like PNC Park has never been easy for batters, though McCutchen observed that “we had some of the same ballpark effect the Rangers had last year, that the ball wasn’t really flying to left field. You weren’t getting rewarded as often and I was trying to find ways to improve the numbers. How can I get hits? How can I get on base? How can I work counts? I put my body into positions that weren’t ideal.”
“I needed to get back to basics and get myself in the most optimal position for 39 that I could get. And, honestly, I feel like I’m in a better spot than I have been in a number of years.”
Despite the subpar production, there was still an expectation that McCutchen would again re-sign with the Pirates, as there seemed to be an unofficial agreement in place that the veteran would end his career in a Pittsburgh uniform. As McCutchen puts it, “I was pretty vocal about doing that, and wanted that. The other side also was pretty vocal about wanting to do that too, but they wanted to do it a little sooner.”
The apparent lack of response or even communication on the Pirates’ part led to McCutchen going public with his frustrations on social media in late January. The Bucs then signed Marcell Ozuna in early February, and Ozuna’s usage in the DH role more or less closed the door on the chances of McCutchen remaining in Pittsburgh.
Should McCutchen break camp with the Rangers, he might get a bit more outfield time than he did with the Pirates, but he’d likely still be primarily used as the right-handed side of a DH platoon with Joc Pederson. Of course, this assumes that Pederson will hit well enough to hold his own spot in the lineup, which is no guarantee since the veteran slugger is also trying to bounce back from a disappointing year.
After signing a two-year, $37MM free agent deal with Texas last winter, Pederson hit only .181/.285/.328 over 306 PA. He was off to an ice-cold start even before he missed two months due to a hand fracture, and he hit only marginally better after his return from the injured list in late July.
Pederson told MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry that “the mentals of not playing good for so long” contributed to his inability to get out of his funk. “Even the whole second half of when I came back, things started to trend in the right direction, but still I was not where I wanted to be….We have so many goals, so everything is going to be tailored around that, how to contribute to a winning team, how to be an above-average productive player.”
An offseason of work with Rangers hitting coach Justin Viele can hopefully get Pederson back on track, though the numbers haven’t yet been there for Pederson in Spring Training. The $18.5MM salary owed to Pederson in 2027 gives the Rangers incentive to give him plenty of time to find himself at the plate, though another extended slump might lead to some hard questions about Pederson’s playing time (or even a spot on the roster). Another DH candidate like McCutchen could emerge, or Texas might want to give multiple players a shot at DH at-bats to help keep people fresh.
In some injury news from the team’s camp, catcher Kyle Higashioka is expected to return to game action tomorrow, manager Skip Schumaker told Evan Grant and other reporters. Back stiffness has kept Higashioka sidelined from games since March 5, though he returned to catching and batting work against live pitching. Assuming no setbacks once he gets back on the field, Higashioka should have enough time to ramp up and be ready for Opening Day.
Higashioka and the newly-signed Danny Jansen will share the Rangers’ catching duties this season. Another free agent signing from the 2024-25 offseason, the first season of Higashioka’s two-year, $13.5MM contract resulted in a .241/.291/.403 slash line and 11 homers over 327 PA (93 wRC+).
I’ll typically blame Pittsburgh management for any Pirates related issues, but Cutch is just hanging on too long to fulfill his wish.
Cutch still wants to play and found a team willing to give him a chance.
The Pirates had a chance to pay a little more money to add a legitimately better bat for the DH slot, and surprisingly took it.
I can’t fault either side here. It just wasn’t a match this year.
Which is why his bitterness is misplaced imo, Pirates made the very reasonable decision. Expecting to automatically be handed a roster spot on a team trying to turn a corner when you’re just not good enough to warrant it anymore is selfish.
If they wanted to move on from him as a player, they could still have offered him a coaching or front office position.
Cherington led Cutch to believe that they were interested in signing him
They might have. If he wants to keep playing, he wouldn’t want it.
You guys summed it up well, can’t expect PIT to just hold a spot forever, especially when they are so desperate for offense.
“The mentals of not playing good”
-Joc Pederson
Someone get this man a cabinet position.
Is this user name a jest I hope?
Lots of American patriots are backing Iran. No jest.
I think Cutch is breaking camp. He already seems like a clubhouse leader.
Cutch is motivated, which is good, but any animosity or hurt feelings towards the Pirates is displaced. If he hit .300 with 25-30 Home Runs and was an all star than maybe, maybe he can be butt hurt that they moved on without consulting him, but he didn’t. He had a poor season. Maybe if he had the same chip on his shoulder last season that he has right now he wouldn’t be fighting for a job in Rangers camp
everyone on Pittsburgh’s offense last year had a poor season. It’s impossible to exclude everyone when you’re talking about Cutch
I can semi understand Cutch’s frustration, hurt feelings, or whatever best describes it. It would be challenging not to take it personal.
But imo, he is forgetting this is also a business. Management felt Ozuna’s track record was a step forward in improving the offense. Especially his annual hr avg.
I would have to side with Management on this one as well.
It is the fact that they are only spending money after he’s off the team, after not even making an effort to put a serious lineup together in most of the years he was on the team. Ultimately, the Pirates need to mend the relationship because the team has very few identifiable former stars at this point. They should have at least offered him a position in the front office, if not as a player.
I’m a huge McCutchen (& Neil Walker) fan who saw them play in AA in Akron. I reluctantly have to say that the team didn’t do anything wrong in this case. I’m still rooting for him. It’s just sad & a little disappointing that he’s gone, again.
In 2024, Joc had a 2.9 WAR in a bit less than a full schedule. He is only 33; so I would say this could be a wild card signing. With him playing mainly DH; and the ability to hold down left field or maybe first for a few games; I would think he should be back to a 2.0 WAR or maybe a tick better. Being a part-time DH makes that acceptable. The thing is; you just cannot make a mistake when pitching to Joc. The other side note to me is that you could always do a July trade deadline deal with him. There could be someone in a serious situation at that time. Prospects at that time get traded and some end up being a steal for the receiving end. Anyway, this is not a bad move for the Rangers.
I hope cutch is a lock for the team outta spring training, would also be a good mentor and team leader in the clubhouse, that was lacking here from rumors of past Dallas news articles. Maybe could help Joc on occasion as well.
I respect Cutch, he’s had a great career. But he’s.making it sound as if it’s only his age preventing him from getting another chance. But doesn’t he understand that his results weren’t very good last year? If you can still do it, then show it.
@coop I get your point, but if Cutch was 5 years younger and coming off a bad year he probably would get a job easier than he did.
When you are 29 it’s a slump or just a bad year. When you are 39… You are washed up and “should have retired already”…
Shame their series against the Pirates is in Texas. Would love to see him back at PNC to get his ovation before going 1/12 in the series with 6 K’s
Pit took him back for 3 years and he wasn’t super productive, but still a fan favorite of course. Now he’s raking in ST for another team and sure, maybe getting passed on by the Bucs motivated him. If so, thats good for him! All Pittsburgh could assume after 3 meh seasons that that’s what he’d have on tap yet again for them. Why would they assume differently? It’s a business and I don’t see any foul from either side here or any reason to be sour. He got his multi-season homecoming in Pit, and hey lookie here, he is in 2026 finding he had more in the tank, even if for another team. Better than another meh year in black and gold just for nostalgia’s sake imho. Kind of feels like a win-win at the end of the day. And hey if there’s still beef, well that’s a fun narrative!
I don’t think the Rangers owe Pederson a penny in 2027. 2026 is the final year of the contract(thank goodness).
So Grandpa McCutchen must be happy that he did not reunite with Pittsburgh
you’re just jealous because you never made it to the majors
Not so Young Joc is far past his prime.
This may be Joc’s final season if he shows up like he did last season, but its a contract year, he may do anything to get 1 more fools gold contract.
Cutch will end up being cut this year at some point. 39 year olds do not typically have a resurgence after some down years. I just don’t see this season ending well for him.
i’m glad you made that prediction nostradamus