A milestone happened during the first inning of Sunday’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets. What may have just been a routine single to left field was anything but routine. That hit belonged to Pirates hitter Andrew McCutchen and was his 52nd hit in 56 games this season. The hit given up by Carlos Carrasco was McCutchen’s 2000th hit, another milestone in a long and decorated MLB career.
Milestone Watch
Before the 2023 season, Andrew McCutchen returned to Pittsburgh after five seasons between the Giants, Yankees, Phillies, and Brewers. Andrew McCutchen was close to reaching four historic milestones. The list includes 1000 walks, 400 doubles, 300 Home Runs, and 2000 hits. Now a third of the way through the season, he is just one double and five home runs from achieving all of them. As the 36-year-old approaches the end of his career, the milestones are piling up. With his 2000th career hit Sunday, McCutchen becomes the 289th player to reach this plateau and the fifth active player to achieve this. Although, he will have company joining him soon as Freddie Freeman and Jose Altuve are within 50 hits of 2000.
McCutchen a Pirate Again
After five years away, McCutchen has made himself at home among the young Pittsburgh Pirates. Heading into 2023, many projected the Pirates to finish fourth in the NL Central. However, they have surprised many by tying for first with the Milwaukee Brewers. After 63 games, the Pirates are 33-30, a big improvement from last year when they were 25-38.
This season, players like Mitch Keller and Bryan Reynolds have had breakout seasons for the Bucs. Although he was a Centerfielder in his first stint in Pittsburgh, McCutchen has transitioned into the team’s primary DH. In 56 games with the Pirates, he is hitting .264/.379/.425 with 8 home runs and 23 RBI. This is a significant improvement from last season in Milwaukee. So far re-signing Andrew McCutchen has been a win for the player, the team, and the fanbase. As the veteran on the team, he helps guide the next generation of Pirates one hit at a time.
Photo Credit- Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned- Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Carrasco, Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Mitch Keller, Brian Reynolds
