Rangers Sign Former Pirates Star Andrew McCutchen Before Opening Day
The Texas Rangers made a surprising late addition ahead of MLB Opening Day by signing longtime Pittsburgh Pirates star Andrew McCutchen to a one-year minor league contract.
The Rangers were already active earlier in the offseason, adding several notable players to the roster, including pitcher MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals and outfielder Brandon Nimmo from the New York Mets.
Once spring training began, it seemed the team’s roster moves were mostly complete. However, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, the Rangers added another veteran by bringing McCutchen into the organization after he spent several months in free agency.
McCutchen Joins Texas
McCutchen spent the majority of his career with Pittsburgh, playing 12 seasons for the franchise. During the 2025 season with the Pirates, he posted a .239/.333/.367 slash line with a .700 OPS and 13 home runs across 135 games.
Over the course of his career, McCutchen has also had shorter stints with the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and New York Yankees.
Although he’s no longer in his prime, McCutchen could still offer value as both a bat and a veteran presence in the Rangers’ clubhouse. His signing adds depth to the lineup and provides another option in the outfield as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
At his peak, McCutchen delivered some of the best numbers of his career in 2014, when he hit .314/.410/.542 with a .952 OPS and 25 home runs in 146 games. While he may not replicate that level of production now, the veteran slugger still has the potential to contribute.
The move caught many by surprise, but it highlights how quickly things can change in Major League Baseball—especially with Opening Day approaching. ⚾
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