McCutchen went 3-for-4 in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Yankees. McCutchen's playing time has been reduced while Bryan Reynolds is limited to designated hitter due to a triceps injury that affects his throwing but not his hitting. This led to McCutchen being on the bench for three games in a row. The Pirates were comfortable putting the right-handed-hitting McCutchen in right field Friday versus southpaw Max Fried, but it has typically been Jack Suwinski filling in while Reynolds is limited. McCutchen is 6-for-18 (.333) with a home run, two RBI and a double across his first six contests this season.
McCutchen remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays. For the third game in a row, McCutchen finds himself out of the lineup. The Pirates haven't indicated that McCutchen is dealing with an injury, and the 38-year-old came off the bench in Tuesday's 7-0 loss to Tampa Bay and recorded a base hit in a ninth-inning pinch-hitting appearance. Rather than because of his own health, McCutchen's recent absences seem to be a byproduct of Bryan Reynolds dealing with right tricep soreness, according to Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports. Reynolds has still been able to take at-bats without discomfort while he manages the injury, so he'll remain in the lineup at designated hitter for the third straight game while Jack Suwinski fills in for him in right field. Once Reynolds is ready to play the outfield again, McCutchen could be prioritized over Suwinski.
McCutchen is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Rays. McCutchen isn't dealing with any known injury, but he's now been absent from the Pirates' lineup for three of the last four games. Bryan Reynolds is getting a start in the designated hitter spot, while Jack Suwinski is covering right field.
McCutchen is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rays. McCutchen will sit for the second time this season after he made three starts during the Pirates' four-game series with the Marlins last week. Bryan Reynolds will get a day off from outfield duty and will occupy the designated-hitter spot while McCutchen hits the bench.
McCutchen went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Sunday against the Marlins. McCutchen rested Saturday but returned to the lineup one day later. He also bumped up to the cleanup spot and delivered a solo home run -- his first long ball of the season -- to lead off the second inning. McCutchen has two hits across 11 at-bats but has struck out only once in the early going.
McCutchen isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Miami. After going 1-for-7 with an RBI and a walk over the first two games of the series, McCutchen will take a seat Saturday. Bryan Reynolds will serve as Pittsburgh's DH instead while Jack Suwinski starts in right field.
The Pirates signed McCutchen to a one-year, $5 million contract Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. It's the same contract terms that McCutchen inked last offseason. The 38-year-old collected a .739 OPS with 20 home runs in 2024 as the Pirates' full-time designated hitter. He should have the same role for Pittsburgh in 2025.
McCutchen is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees. McCutchen will sit for a second straight game as Bryan Reynolds serves as the designated hitter Sunday and bats second. Unless he comes in to pinch hit, McCutchen will end the regular season slashing .232/.328/.411 with 20 home runs and 50 RBI across 515 plate appearances.
McCutchen isn't in Pittsburgh's lineup Saturday versus the Yankees. McCutchen is 0-for-11 with four strikeouts over his last three games, and he'll now get a chance to rest while Bryan Reynolds serves as the Pirates' DH and Billy Cook starts in left field.