He's finally back home. The Pittsburgh Pirates fanbase officially welcomed Andrew McCutchen back to PNC Park in their home opener against the Chicago White Sox. McCutchen, a legend of the team, got two massive ovations: the first was when his name was announced in the starting lineup. Cutch also got an ovation when he came up for his first at-bat. After the game, Andrew McCutchen talked about the emotions running through him during that game, per
Rob Biertempfel.

“I was trying to keep my feelings in check up there, but at the same time, I didn’t want to suppress them. Definitely welling up, but I knew I needed to hit. Eyes couldn’t be too watery.”

Andrew McCutchen is a legend amongst Pirates fans from the 2010s, and for good reason. For the longest time, Cutch was the face of Pirates baseball. He was one of the best players in the league during his heyday, boasting strong hitting numbers and excellent defense from center field. He expressed interest in playing for Pittsburgh his entire career… until he was traded in the 2018 season.

Since then, Cutch has bounced around the league, bringing his hitting pedigree along with him. He had stops in Milwaukee, San Francisco, New York (with the Yankees), and Philadelphia. After his stint with the Brewers, Cutch signed a one-year deal with the Pirates, returning to his roots.

Cutch proved that he was more than just a cheap nostalgia grab for the Pirates in their win. In his first at-bat back in PNC Park, he immediately hit a single to take the early lead. It was the new blood that led Pittsburgh to a win, with Bryan Reynolds, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and O'Neil Cruz all having multi-hit outings. Pittsburgh is now surprisingly 5-3 to start the year.