Andrew McCutchen is embarking on an entirely new journey in his career. He just signed with the Texas Rangers after a bitter fallout with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
As the Rangers and McCutchen go through the throes of Spring Training, McCutchen took time out to explain why he chose Texas, per Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports.
“Honestly, it was one of the first options for me,” McCutchen said. “Also, at the moment, it was one of the only options as well.”
In the same breath, he acknowledges the difficulty of the transition.
“Emotionally, it's been a challenge for me in the beginning, because I didn't necessarily know where I was gonna go or end up,” he said. “I didn't have a great understanding of where I was going to in the future. There just wasn't a clear-cut sign of it. But there was understanding on my end that I wanted to keep playing.”
Andrew McCutchen is in #Rangers camp, and he explains why Texas and talks about an interesting offseason. pic.twitter.com/rbPXlYdQTF
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilsonTXR) March 6, 2026
In February, the Pirates signed outfielder and DH Marcell Ozuna, signifying the end of McCutchen's tenure in Pittsburgh. Over the course of the offseason, the Pirates and McCutchen were caught in a state of friction over his free-agent status as well as issues around communication.
Plus, they hadn't made any drastic moves with the free agent market, as well as trades, before Ozuna. McCutchen had gone to social media, wanting to remain in Pittsburgh.
The Rangers will conclude Spring Training on March 24 against the Kansas City Royals. Their season opener will be on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies on March 26.
