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PITTSBURGH — A lot was fabricated from the Pirates’ surprising 20-8 begin to the 2023 season, after they held sole possession of first place within the Nationwide League come Could 1.
Andrew McCutchen was part of it, and he doesn’t really feel it was a fluke. However one other spectacular juncture of the season arguably advised him much more about what is perhaps to return in 2024.
McCutchen’s season ended on Sept. 4 when he sustained a partial tear of his left Achilles towards the Brewers. By that time within the season, the Pirates had accomplished trades of different veteran gamers, together with key contributors like Carlos Santana and Wealthy Hill. That they had additionally lengthy handled the results of season-ending accidents to Oneil Cruz and Vince Velasquez.
But, the crew rattled off a 13-11 file from Sept. 4 by means of the top of the season whereas going through a gauntlet of playoff-contending groups. The Bucs took two of three from the Brewers, two of three from the Cubs and two of three from the Reds. The Cincinnati collection offered arguably the sport of the yr, because the Pirates erased a 9-0 deficit to win, 13-12.
What did it inform McCutchen?
“This can be a good ballclub,” McCutchen mentioned on Saturday at PiratesFest, “and that’s what I noticed after I was simply sitting again watching. I’m like, ‘Man, that is why I’m right here. Because of this I got here again. That is what I see.’”
The late-season run bolstered a perception McCutchen has about some MLB groups: There’s a distinction between a foul crew and “a superb crew that places itself in a foul scenario.” The Pirates fell into that second group, as they struggled by means of the center a part of the season to regain the shape they confirmed within the first month.
“It’s simply discovering your self, understanding who you might be as a crew, going on the market and producing and placing it on the sphere,” McCutchen mentioned. “When you try this — you already know who you might be and also you go on the market and also you play that method — man, the sky’s the restrict for us.”
The Pirates added 14 extra wins in 2023 than they’d in ‘22 whereas nonetheless anchored by a largely younger, up-and-coming roster. By the top of the season, it was one of many youngest in MLB. Nevertheless it nonetheless held its personal and confirmed contending groups a glimpse of how quickly Pittsburgh might be on that stage.
Nevertheless, McCutchen hopes that grit and drive from September provides the Pirates even loftier expectations in 2024. He noticed the best way the crew didn’t make excuses about its youth, accidents, total file or the rest. So there needs to be no excuses this time round, both.
“I desire a championship,” McCutchen mentioned. “The playoffs can be nice. Being .500 can be nice. However the final aim is that. We’ve to go searching and take a look at one another. We’ve to imagine in that course of.”
And who says it might probably’t be the Pirates? Take a look at what the D-backs did in 2023, knocking off the Brewers, the Dodgers and the Phillies to achieve the World Sequence after being the final crew to make the postseason within the Nationwide League. McCutchen pointed to them for example of what’s attainable.
“Typically we will lose sight of that due to the title on the again, or the stature, the homers,” McCutchen mentioned. “On the finish of the day, baseball is baseball. For those who play it the fitting method, you’ll have a superb likelihood of success. If we will try this, preserve that and be constant in it, we’ll set ourselves as much as do what we wish to do.”
