Andrew McCutchen blasted Pirates for social media fan fest snub

Andrew McCutchen is a Pittsburgh Pirates legend, but he’s unhappy with the franchise after not being invited to its annual fan festival before the start of the 2026 MLB season.

McCutchen has played 12 of his 17 MLB seasons in Pittsburgh, including the last three seasons. He won the National League MVP there in 2013, but the current free agent was not asked to interact with fans at their annual event.

McCutchen talked about the Pirates on social media, comparing himself to other league team legends who attend organized functions each year.

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“I wonder, did the Cardinals do this? [to Adam] wainwright/[Albert] Pujols/Yadí [Molina]? Dodgers to [Clayton] Kershaw? Tigers to Miggy [Miguel Cabrera]? The list goes on and on,” McCutchen wrote in X.

“If this was my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans for the last time as a player.”

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Pirates general manager Ben Cherington was asked about McCutchen’s absence at the fan fest, where he had a media-coached response.

“Andrew has meant a lot to the team,” he responded, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “He has had an incredible career at two different times. Certainly, his legacy as a Pirate is secure. All of us at the Pirates, it is our hope to maintain a very good relationship with Andrew in the future.”

Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on after a fan falls from the stands during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on April 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

McCutchen, 39, remains a free agent but wants to play in 2026. Many believe he will return to the Pirates for perhaps his final MLB season, but that has not materialized just weeks before spring training.

“The job is to build a team that gives us the best opportunity to win games when you’re in the ballpark in June and July,” Cherington said. “Our focus this offseason has been on what gives us the best opportunity to win more baseball games in Pittsburgh than in past seasons. That will continue to guide our decisions. A lot of respect for Andrew. That relationship is really important to us.

“We will continue to communicate with him directly as the team comes together.”

Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates runs to first base against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

McCutchen hit just .239/.333/.367 with a .700 OPS in 135 games for Pittsburgh last season.

In this career with the Pirates, McCutchen has hit .281/.372/.467 with an .839 OPS, 248 home runs, 351 doubles and 875 RBIs in 1,713 career games.