PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He’s played 13 games in the outfield since 2022, but for the Pirates 2025 Home Opener, Andrew McCutchen is starting in right field.
The 38-year-old is out there due to an injury to Bryan Reynolds that prevents him from throwing. It’s not the ideal situation, but it’s a way to get McCutchen’s bat back into a struggling lineup.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton said the conversations about it happened over the last couple of days. McCutchen didn’t play in the outfield during Spring Training, but he has been out there the last couple of days because of Reynolds’ situation.
“I just had a conversation with him of, ‘Hey man, do you feel comfortable with where you’re at?’ Shelton said Friday before the first home game of the year. “Number one for me, it’s really important that he feels like he’s in a good spot and his body’s in a good spot. I give him a ton of credit with how he took care of his body this winter. We have to be mindful that he’s 38. … Don’t want to put him in any situation where he’s not.”
McCutchen is only the third 38-year-old to play right field for the Pirates according to Bucco broadcaster Joe Block, Bill Robinson and Roberto Clemente, the others.
What was not an option was leaving McCutchen out of the lineup for what could be his final Home Opener.
“Cutch is a person that means a lot to this organization and a lot to this city, so him being out there today was extremely important to me,” Shelton said. “The most important thing was Cutch was in a good spot with it. But it was front-of-mind for me.”
Shelton isn’t sure how much more McCutchen will play in the field, but it will be an option. It really depends on Reynolds injury, to which there is no update other than Reynolds is still ok swinging the bat. And this team needs the All-Star’s bat in the lineup.
As for potentially playing first base?
Shelton acknowledged that McCutchen took ground balls there before a game, but said that was just to keep the 17-year veteran moving around. The Bucs manager even said he was bored and was just taking throws at first.
“It’s not an option,” Shelton said.