Pirates' Andrew McCutchen joins elite company with 10th home run of the season

Andrew McCutchen isn’t one to spend much, if any, time basking in his own glory when approached about achieving various career accolades.

McCutchen has dealt with his fair share of those borderline unwelcome conversations during his three-year reunion with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he’s eclipsed 2,000 hits, 300 home runs and has steadily been rising above the franchise’s greatest players in various statistical categories.

On Monday evening in San Francisco, McCutchen joined a prestigious list of players via his seventh-inning, two-run homer at Oracle Park, which ultimately lifted the Pirates to a 6-5 win over the Giants.

By hitting that home run, his 10th of 2025, McCutchen became only the 11th player in MLB history, per Elias Sports Bureau, to hit at least 10 over his first 17 MLB seasons.

Giants Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, as well as Barry Bonds, were among those on the list.

“(That list includes) names of guys who played here,” McCutchen said postgame. “Being that we are here in that fashion, I had an opportunity to meet (Willie) Mays, McCovey and Bonds — it’s extremely cool to be in the same category as those guys. I remember sitting in the clubhouse here when I was here in 2018 on the Giants and sitting at the table with all three of them.

“I just want to be around that and be around greatness. Now we can all sit at the table and have something to share in common.”

Andrew McCutchen sends a cannonball to the left field seats! pic.twitter.com/canAwzI1WO

— MLB (@MLB) July 29, 2025

The full list of 11 players, including seven Hall of Famers, is

• Hank Aaron (23 seasons, 1954-76)

• Eddie Murray (20 seasons, 1977-76)

• Carl Yastrzemski (20 seasons, 1961-80)

• Barry Bonds (19 seasons, 1986-2004)

• Albert Pujols (19 seasons, 2001-19)

• Frank Robinson (19 seasons, 1956-74)

• Harold Baines (18 seasons, 1980-87)

• Mickey Mantle (18 seasons, 1951-68)

• Jeff Kent (17 seasons, 1992-2008)

• Willie McCovey (17 seasons, 1959-75)

• Andrew McCutchen (17 seasons, 2009-25)

The homer Monday was McCutchen’s 329th as a big-leaguer and 42nd since he rejoined the Pirates in 2023.

Last year, McCutchen managed a 20-homer campaign, the 10th of his career, eight of which have come in a Pirates uniform.

While it may have taken him a bit longer that he wanted to reach double digits on the year, McCutchen took it as evidence that his approach at the plate and regimen to maintain his body is still working well, even all these years later at age 38.

“I had to work for it, that’s for sure,” McCutchen said. “This year. This may be the longest I’ve gone to get 10 homers. I don’t know, just try to maintain an approach and try not to overthink it. Just do what comes to you, trust it and go out there and do it. That’s it.”

McCutchen is slashing .248/.325/.382 this season with 10 homers, 34 RBIs, 15 doubles and 38 walks.

He ranks second on the Pirates in home runs, walks, doubles and OPS (.707), leads in on-base percentage and is third with 83 hits.

“Just unbelievable,” manager Don Kelly said. “Seventeen seasons to have that many home runs, I can’t wait to see the list and congrats to him for joining an elusive club. That’s unbelievable.”