In case you have been living under a rock, the Pirates are close to trading Andrew McCutchen. Today we look back at his five best moments with the Pittsburgh Pirates
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” – Andy Benard
Since his call-up in June 2009, Andrew McCutchen has been the face of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We got to see him develop from speedy but skinny leadoff hitter to a true superstar. It helps the team went from losers to winners right as McCutchen developed into a perennial MVP candidate.
Good times truly never last. 2016 was a lost season for the former NL MVP. He saw all his numbers decrease and his defense took a massive step back. Still, it was stunning to hear about the news of his trade. Cutch, as he was often called was a superstar by nearly every definition of the word. He was a great player and an amazing presence off the field. Though his time in Pittsburgh is over, it’s okay to look back, for at least a little bit. Today I am going to count down the five best moments of Andrew McCutchen’s Pirates’ career.
Numbers 5-4
Number 5: His MLB Debut, June 4, 2009
People may not remember this but prior to his debut, there was a lot of anger in Pittsburgh. The Pirates traded former All-Star Nate McLouth and people weren’t happy about it. 2009 wasn’t a good year for the Pirates but McLouth was very popular around town. People knew who McCutchen was but to most, he was simply an unknown prospect while McLouth was an All-Star. Little did people know what they were about to see on June 4, 2009.
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McCutchen was brilliant in his first Major League game. He went 2-4 with a walk, one RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. He showed basically all the flashes of the superstar he eventually grew into.
Number 4: The First Walkoff Home Run, August 25, 2009
It didn’t take long for McCutchen to become a fan favorite. He had a tremendous rookie season. He hit .286/.365/.471/.836 with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs. At the end of the season, he finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. Perhaps the most iconic moment of his rookie campaign came on August 25th against the defending champion Phillies.
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With the game tied at four in the bottom of the ninth, McCutchen came up with the winning run at second base. McCutchen then belted his first career walk-off home run. As he was coming home, he did the Michael Jordan pose as he leaped into the waiting arms of his teammates. The visual was fantastic and it really was one of the great moments of the early part of McCutchen’s career.
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