Andrew McCutchen hits 3-run shot for 10th 20-homer season as Pirates top Marlins

There was no flair for the dramatic from Andrew McCutchen, except that he didn’t drop his bat until he saw the long fly ball that sailed 403 feet clear the left-center fence for a three-run home run.

It was another milestone moment for McCutchen with the Pittsburgh Pirates, marking the 10th time in 16 seasons that the 37-year-old designated hitter has had 20 or more home runs.

McCutchen’s majestic homer in the fifth inning provided the cushion the Pirates needed for a 6-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night before 10,391 at PNC Park.

What did hitting his 20th homer mean to McCutchen?

Not as much as getting another.

“Twenty-one would be cool, for obvious reasons,” McCutchen said, in an inference to Pirates legend Roberto Clemente’s retired jersey number. “I mean, it’s nice. Just looking back on how my past couple years have gone and how my season really started this year, I feel good about being able to hit 20 homers. Would a lot of people think I’d have done it? Probably not. It’s why I don’t look at them for (validation) because I know I can do it. To be in this position and to hit that mark, yeah, it makes me smile tonight.”

That eight of McCutchen’s 20-homer seasons have come with the Pirates broke a tie with Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner (seven) and ranks behind only Hall of Famer Willie Stargell (15). McCutchen has hit 235 of his 319 career homers with the Pirates, which is within reach of Clemente’s 240 for third-most in franchise history.

“Yeah, it’s cool, but there’s still a sour taste in my mouth with that because I wasn’t here my whole career,” said McCutchen, who was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2018 and also played for the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers before returning to the Pirates in 2023. “It’s nice to be able to be with those guys and those greats, it’s amazing, but it would be cool if I was here my whole career and then see where I would be at. That won’t change things, right? It is what it is. It’s nice but every time I hear it, I’m like, ‘Dang man, if only.’ I just go ‘cool’ and then I just move on.”

The homer came nine years to the day that McCutchen became the second player in franchise history to record at least 150 career home runs and 150 career stolen bases, joining Barry Bonds as the only two to accomplish the feat.

More important to McCutchen is how he has rebounded from a partial tear in his left Achilles tendon that ended his 2023 season in early September by posting solid numbers despite a balky left knee.

“Yeah, you know, that was a tough injury, just for the simple fact that I’ve never experienced that before,” McCutchen said. “You go into the offseason, I’m in a boot, I’m not doing much because I can’t.”

McCutchen said he spent the offseason “playing catch-up, which is what it really felt like” and wasn’t ready for game speed when he arrived at spring training. After batting .190 through his first 22 games, McCutchen enjoyed a resurgence in May, when he slashed .277/.365/.468 with five homers and 12 RBIs.

In August, McCutchen had a .368/.457/.737 slash line with four homers and 14 RBIs and was riding an 11-game hit streak when his left knee inflammation forced him to go on the 10-day injured list Aug. 17. The knee has been bothersome but nothing compared to the Achilles.

“It was a challenging injury, but I’ve been in a good spot with that and I’ve had some little hiccups with my knee and that sometimes comes and goes,” McCutchen said. “I’m not 100%. No one is at this point of the year, but it’s nice to still be on two feet and be able to go out and play a game. So even though I’m not running how I want to run, I can still hit and running’s running. Can’t beat 28 feet per second down the line, but I’m going to do my best and it’s still nice to be here in September.”

McCutchen’s timing for his homer couldn’t have been any better, given that the Pirates were clinging to a tight lead in a bullpen game.

The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off with a single to center, reached third on a single to right by Bryan Reynolds and scored on a fielder’s choice groundout by Oneil Cruz. Reynolds scored when Joey Bart hit a bouncer to third that skipped past Jake Burger for a 2-0 Pirates lead.

Opener Carmen Mlodzinski tossed two scoreless innings and lefty reliever Joey Wentz added two more before Kyle Stowers hit a two-out double to right in the fifth. Kyle Nicolas replaced Wentz but walked David Hensley and gave up an RBI single to Jhonny Pereda that cut it to 2-1 before Billy Cook made a sliding catch on Javier Sanoja’s flare to shallow right field.

Jared Triolo hit a leadoff double and scored on a single through the middle by Reynolds to give the Pirates a 3-1 edge. After Cruz drew a four-pitch walk, McCutchen crushed Adam Oller’s first-pitch inside fastball for the three-run homer to make it 6-1.

It marked McCutchen’s first 20-homer season since 2021, when he hit 27 for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is one of five active players with double-digit 20-homer seasons, joining New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (13) and first basemen Paul Goldscmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals and Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers (11 each) and Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies (10).

“I think you’re talking about the best player in the history of the franchise over the last 30 years,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, noting that is three runs shy of tying Hall of Famer Arky Vaughan (936) for 10th place on the club’s all-time runs scored. “I think it just speaks to how talented a player he is and has been throughout his career.”

When the Marlins loaded the bases against Nicolas and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jonah Bride to cut it to 6-2, the Pirates turned to lefty Ryan Borucki. Stowers doubled to drive in Otto Lopez to make it 6-3.

The Pirates got scoreless frames from David Bednar and Dennis Santana before Aroldis Chapman gave up a run on Burger’s RBI single in the ninth before clinching the victory.

The Pirates (69-76) can sweep the three-game series against the Marlins (54-91) with a win Wednesday afternoon, which would be their first sweep since taking three at the Chicago White Sox from July 12-14.

With 17 games remaining, the Pirates still have a chance to match or surpass their 76 wins from last season. McCutchen reiterated his stance that this isn’t a farewell tour, as he expects to return next season and believes the Pirates can be a playoff contender.

“I’ve already said it. It’s already been printed out there,” McCutchen said. “Like I said, I wanted to go home so hopefully I can just continue to finish strong in the season and be able to showcase that I can be capable and able to do it next year.

“Because I can do it. It’s plain and simple. I said this earlier: If I don’t embarrass myself then I’m going to continue keep going and doing it and, if I get the opportunity, I’m going to. At the end of the day, that’s me personally, but I would love to win, too. I haven’t done that in a long time and I haven’t been in the playoffs in a while here and it would be nice to do it here and we’re a special group of guys. We’re a special team. It’s there. Just got to piece the puzzles.”