Andrew McCutchen has started another season with the Pittsburgh Pirates — his 12th with the team where he made his MLB debut back in 2009. Now in his 17th year in the majors and at age 38, the end of his career may be closer than ever.
In a recent appearance on Chris Rose Sports, McCutchen reflected on the uncertainty of his future in baseball: “I play [every game] like it’s my last one… Because at one point it will be,” he said, acknowledging that the final chapter of his career could be approaching — not just in Pittsburgh, but in Major League Baseball as a whole.
So far in the 2025 season, McCutchen has hit 2 home runs over 32 games, with 10 runs scored, 27 hits, and 12 RBIs, posting a .257 batting average. At the very least, he’s off to a better start than last season, when he was hitting just .200 through the same number of games.
There’s no set date for when McCutchen will call it a career
The 38-year-old veteran, who has played in over 2,100 MLB games, admitted he doesn’t know when that final moment will come, but he hopes to recognize it when it does.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 30: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on after a fan fell from the stands during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on April 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“Yeah, definitely, I mean, I think about it all the time. I think about when—whenever I say, ‘Okay, I’m done.’ I want to be able to know when that moment is. I want to be able to say, ‘You know what? It’s time, man. It’s time to hang the cleats up and just call it a career.’
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“So I don’t believe that time is here—not yet. But I know a time will come when I do feel that way… When? I don’t know. I always say, every time I go out there on that field before the game and say my prayer, I play it like it’s my last one. I do that no matter what, because at one point, it will be your last one.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on April 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“I’ve had injuries, I’ve come off the field and thought, ‘If this is it, then I gave everything I had.’ That’s the way I look at it, and I’m going to continue to do that. So when it’s time, I’ll be fine with it.”
