Pirates' Andrew McCutchen blasts elusive home run No. 300 in victory over Phillies

Andrew McCutchen probably can testify better than most that good things come to those who wait.

And McCutchen, seeking his 300th career home run since Aug. 22 of last year, when he hit No. 299 off St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright, certainly had put in time searching for that elusive milestone.

In the top of the ninth inning Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, McCutchen finally crushed home run No. 300 on an 0-2 sinker from Ricardo Pinto.

The 300th homer of Andrew McCutchen’s career! pic.twitter.com/Euvhsg0Tje

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 14, 2024

McCutchen finished the day 2 for 5 with three runs and two RBIs in the Pirates’ 9-2 victory.

“I’d be remiss if I said I wasn’t thinking about it,” McCutchen said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “It’s obvious with how my season’s going thus far, but it’s not that I was thinking about it every time I hit. … Quite frankly, (it’s) nice to get it out of the way.”

McCutchen, in his 16th big-league campaign, played for the Phillies for three years from 2019-21.

While he would have chosen to hit his 300th homer in front of a home crowd at PNC Park, doing so on familiar grounds at Citizens Bank Park had its perks.

“The fans here are great, and they were good to me,” McCutchen said. “ … It felt like a gift for me. It was nice to be able to do it here.”

McCutchen becomes the 160th player in MLB history to hit 300 career homers.

McCutchen drew a roaring ovation at the home opener against the Chicago White Sox last year in his return to wearing the black and gold after being traded to San Francisco in January 2018. Then the five-time All-Star and 2013 NL MVP hit a two-out single in his first at-bat.

300 CAREER HOME RUNS FOR ANDREW MCCUTCHEN ????‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/R5sLpJPTOZ

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 14, 2024

Before the April 5 home opener against the Baltimore Orioles, Pirates manager Derek Shelton was rooting for McCutchen to hit the milestone homer during the Opening Week homestand at PNC Park.

“It would be really sick. I hope he does it in the first inning with the bases loaded. Be no better way to get 300,” Shelton said. “What Cutch means to this organization and this city, I think we see every place we go. Last year we saw it Opening Day, in terms of coming back and getting the base hit, but we’re all excited about him getting to 300 and the reception he’s going to get.”

McCutchen ranks fourth in Pirates history with 216 homers, behind Hall of Famers Willie Stargell (475), Ralph Kiner (301) and Roberto Clemente (240).

The 300th homer also put McCutchen in an exclusive club. He became the 13th player in MLB history with at least 2,000 hits, 400 doubles, 300 home runs, 200 stolen bases and 45 triples, joining Hall of Famers George Brett, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Larry Walker and Dave Winfield, as well as Carlos Beltran, Barry Bonds, Joe Carter and Steve Finley.

McCutchen suffered a season-ending partial tear of his left Achilles last Sept. 4, delaying his quest for 300 home runs until this season.

"It means everything."

Cutch on being the 4th player to reach 300 homers in a Pirates uniform ????‍☠️@mearshannah_ | #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/kKlZfSvbRF

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) April 14, 2024

He signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates on Dec. 19.

After hitting 10 homers through the first three months of the 2023 season, McCutchen batted .115 in July and .212 in August. He endured a 27-game homerless stretch between July 1 and Aug. 19, when hit a three-run shot off Minnesota Twins reliever Jordan Balazovic in the ninth inning of a 7-4 win at Target Field. McCutchen hit his 12th and final homer of the season Aug. 22, a two-out, two-run shot off Adam Wainwright in a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

McCutchen doubled twice off Corbin Burnes against Milwaukee on Sept. 4 but came up limping on the second one and was removed from the game.

McCutchen was beaten to the 300-homer mark by six players last season. St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado entered with 299 homers before hitting one in his eighth game on April 9. Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman joined Ruben Sierra to become only the second player in MLB history to hit a grand slam for his 300th on May 18. Designated hitter J.D. Martinez joined his then-Dodgers teammate on June 27, and San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado hit his on July 15.

McCutchen reached several career milestones last season. He drew his 1,000th walk against Toronto on May 7, notched his 2,000th hit against the New York Mets on June 11 and knocked his 400th double June 24 at Miami.

22????‍☠️???? pic.twitter.com/bUsSGhrP94

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 14, 2024

His previous milestone home runs both came in the first inning at the Milwaukee Brewers. McCutchen hit his 100th homer off Yovani Gallardo on Sept. 3, 2013, and his 200th off Chase Anderson on Sept. 13, 2017.

McCutchen also became the 99th player in MLB history with at least 2,000 hits and 300 home runs and the fifth active player to accomplish the feat, joining Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, Cincinnati’s Joey Votto, San Diego’s Nelson Cruz and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman. Cabrera and Cruz have retired, and Votto now plays for Toronto.

Staff writer Kevin Gorman contributed to this story.