PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen’s feel-good homecoming season is over.
The Pittsburgh Pirates positioned the designated hitter on the 10-day injured record Wednesday after he partially tore his left Achilles tendon whereas legging out a double in a victory over Milwaukee on Monday night time.
“It’s pretty disappointing, especially when it wasn’t necessarily something that I expected before I got the news,” McCutchen mentioned.
The 36-year-old initially mentioned he was “fine” with what the membership initially referred to as “tightness” in his decrease left leg. Further examination by the Pirates medical workers revealed the tear. Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk mentioned McCutchen will likely be in a strolling boot for six weeks, including that in the intervening time the workforce doesn’t consider surgical procedure will likely be required.
McCutchen hit .256 with 12 house runs and 43 RBIs this season, his fifteenth since breaking in with Pittsburgh in 2009. He collected his 2,000th profession hit in June and was one house run wanting 300 when he limped into second base following an RBI double down the left-field line.
A five-time All-Star and the 2013 NL MVP whereas taking part in for Pittsburgh from 2009-17, McCutchen is scheduled to be a free agent throughout the offseason. He has repeatedly expressed he didn’t view 2023 as a farewell season and that he would favor to remain in his adopted hometown past the top of his present deal.
“I’m not gonna go out like this,” McCutchen mentioned. “I want to continue to keep playing and push through this, let this heal and be ready to go for 2024.”
The Pirates introduced McCutchen house in January to offer a younger clubhouse a frontrunner who has been the place they’re attempting to go. He bought off to a stable begin however struggled after the All-Star break. McCutchen was hitting simply .233 with two house runs within the second half.
“It was a good year, a decent year for me,” he mentioned. “I just wanted to finish strong. I wanted to go into September and finish strong because my last couple (of) months weren’t where I wanted them to be. They were below par.”
McCutchen’s return after 5 years bouncing from San Francisco to New York to Philadelphia to Milwaukee gave the Pirates a public-relations increase off the sphere and an skilled presence within the lineup.
The Pirates bought off to a torrid 20-8 begin earlier than falling off the tempo as spring turned to summer season. Still, Pittsburgh entered Wednesday having already surpassed its 2022 win complete (62). The Pirates even have been a .500 workforce because the commerce deadline, when the group went all-in on giving kids like catcher Endy Rodriguez and infield Liover Peguero loads of alternatives.
McCutchen plans to be across the clubhouse as a lot as attainable down the stretch.
“It can be tough on a team losing a veteran player and losing someone they have respect for,” he mentioned. “I’m going to try and do what I can to be there for them and hoping that we can finish the season strong.”
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