PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen He jogged over to the Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park and raised his cap to acknowledge the fans standing up to welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates legend during the team’s home opener on Friday against the opponent. New York Yankees .
It stood out as a fleeting instance of elegance amidst an otherwise stressful evening where the excitement surrounding baseball’s comeback was dampened by the local team's difficult beginning.
A day that started with a plane flying a banner above, asking owner Bob Nutting to sell the team, and featured manager Derek Shelton getting jeered during pre-game announcements concluded with the Pirates repeating their customary errors. in a 9-4 loss that brought their record down to 2-6.
It’s certainly not the first period of challenging baseball that McCutchen has faced throughout his 12-year tenure with the Pirates. However, this marks the first instance where cries of "sell the team" have echoed through the stands during what was intended as a joyous occasion. These shouts grew particularly intense following consecutive defensive errors in the third inning, which aided Aaron Judge and the Yankees in pulling ahead swiftly.
By the time the seventh-inning stretch rolled around, a substantial portion of the approximately 37,000 attendees were making their way across the Clemente Bridge to avoid both the rain and the ensuing traffic jam.
They desire a successful team, and they will express this," stated McCutchen, who achieved three hits out of four attempts and executed a impressive running catch on a line drive hit by Ben Rice to conclude the fourth inning. Despite his 38 years and not having played an outfield position during spring training, his stamina remained strong.
Others have turned to the airways as an outlet for their dissatisfaction.
Nutting was present on the field during batting practice when he glanced up and noticed a plane pulling a banner that said "Sell The Team Bob" along with an address. website encouraging supporters to look for methods to demonstrate against his leadership.
I genuinely admire the enthusiasm of our supporters," stated Nutting, who became the owner in January 2007. "I recognize their frustration and I acknowledge their worries because they desire success for the team just as much as I do. That is what we prioritize above all else.
Since Nutting took over the Pirates, they've only had four successful seasons and made it to the playoffs just three times. For the past eight consecutive years, the team has ended up at the bottom or second-to-last place in the NL Central division. Additionally, the franchise didn’t make significant moves in free agency to improve an offensive lineup that was one of the least productive in Major League Baseball last year or strengthen a relief pitching corps that fell apart towards the end of summer.
Initial results haven’t been promising. Pittsburgh’s average hit rate stands at only .204, and two-time All-Star closer David Bednar has been sent down to Triple-A Indianapolis following his rough performance during the first week of the season.
The Pirates often claim they must secure victories through small plays and executing minor details consistently to stay competitive. However, they aren’t managing this routinely enough. Mistakes on the basepaths occur frequently. In the fifth inning, when trailing by six runs, Isiah Kiner-Falefa was caught stealing first base—a move Shelton deemed unacceptable.
The performance of the outfielders has been inconsistent. Recently signed Alexander Canario misplayed a ball in the third inning, allowing Trent Grisham to advance an additional base. Later in the game, Grisham came around to score on a hit from Oswaldo Cabrera.
"We need to tidy that up," Shelton stated.
Maybe even more importantly, the Pirates need to figure out how to prevent situations from getting out of hand.
McCutchen, who remains the final remaining connection to Pittsburgh’s frequent postseason appearances between 2013 and 2015 when he was among baseball's most prominent players, hopes that the first ten days of the season will ultimately prove to be a fortunate omen.
The past few years have begun well for us, but ultimately didn't turn out so good," he stated. "Yes, our organization is currently facing some challenges, yet we mustn't let them stray us too far off course. We'll emerge stronger on the other side.
The Pittsburgh team has been undergoing a comprehensive restructuring since late 2019 when they appointed Shelton along with general manager Ben Cherington. Leading up to the 2025 season, everyone within the organization—from owner Bob Nutting down to GM Ben Cherington and National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes—has consistently maintained that it’s now time for them to start winning.
The external anxiety is evident. McCutchen is working to ensure it doesn’t seep into a locker room that is still aiming to "gel."
When this occurs—and it certainly will—you can only hope that the performance follows suit, which typically it does," stated the 2013 NL MVP. "We must continue pushing forward collectively and not allow external distractions to impact us.
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Will Graves, The Associated Press