The Cutch-approved key to Bucs' success

BRADENTON, Fla. ¨C Derek Shelton¡¯s message to his team ahead of the first full squad workout at Pirate City Monday was the same one he gave the pitchers and catchers last week: the focus is on winning.

And if there¡¯s anyone in that Pirates clubhouse who knows what winning in Pittsburgh looks like, it¡¯s Andrew McCutchen. The 38-year-old franchise icon is back for a third year in his second stint with the Pirates, the first two seasons ending with identical 76-86 records. In 2023, they beat expectations. In 2024, they might have fallen short.

In 2025, the focus is winning in the margins. What are those one or two plays they didn¡¯t have in those close losses last year, and how can they turn those into wins?

¡°I¡¯ve talked about that since I¡¯ve been here,¡± McCutchen said after practice Monday. ¡°I know that¡¯s what we need. You¡¯ve got to do the small things right, that¡¯s what wins ballgames. We are not the L.A. Dodgers, nor will we be. We¡¯ve got to be able to use our strengths and we got to maximize them to the best point that we can.

¡°Honestly, that¡¯s what we have to do. It¡¯s doing the small things, if you can do the small things really well, and the cool thing about small things is you can repeat it. I think if we can focus on that and that be our sole focus, then we¡¯ll be fine. That¡¯s what we have to do.¡±

This season will also be a bit different for McCutchen, who was essentially the only veteran position player on last year¡¯s team. This winter, the Pirates added Tommy Pham and Adam Frazier, giving them two more veterans who have been to the playoffs the last couple years.

McCutchen expressed at PiratesFest how he is willing to speak up to the clubhouse more this year when he feels there¡¯s something that needs to be said, but Pittsburgh¡¯s additions also mean the division of veteran responsibilities can be on more shoulders.

¡°We need guys like that around the clubhouse,¡± McCutchen said. ¡°As much as I like to lead, I don't like to lead all the time. It's good to just have other people who lead in their way. I'm not feeling like I've got to wear a bunch of different masks and suits to try to help the team in any way that I can. So, it's good to just go out with those guys, and have them around.¡±

? Frazier and McCutchen haven¡¯t been teammates since the latter was traded after the 2017 season. Frazier has grown up plenty since then and has been a part of three straight playoff teams: the 2022 Mariners, 2023 Orioles and 2024 Royals. In all three cases, those teams went from missing the postseason to playing in October, something the 2025 Pirates will try to achieve.

Now Frazier is back with his original organization, and while the team is radically different than it was when he was traded in July 2021, he knows what Pirate City is all about.

"Feels like home,¡± Frazier said. ¡°I think I mentioned that last year, first time back [to PNC Park] in mid-September, kind of felt that way. A lot of familiar faces in this clubhouse, maybe not on the team, but guys I've played with elsewhere are here now, and clubhouse guys and the coaches and everybody. That makes it easier to hop back into a place."

? Hunter Stratton has been active this Spring Training, throwing on the back fields of Pirate City. The 28-year-old right-hander was one of the Pirates¡¯ best relievers last season, recording a 3.58 ERA over 36 games, but he had his season cut short in late August when he ruptured a patella tendon in his left knee. Stratton was non-tendered in November but signed a Minor League deal shortly after to stay with the organization.

Stratton isn¡¯t running or doing pitching fielding practice yet, but from an arm standpoint, he¡¯s about where the other pitchers in camp are, making him a potential wild card for the Opening Day bullpen competition.

¡°If he can check that box sometime during Spring Training, then there¡¯s no reason he's not part of the competition," general manager Ben Cherington said.