"I haven't been in this position, in a place where there are a lot of doubts from other people in quite a long time. I'm motivated in a different way. I remember getting invitations to spring training when I was 20-21 years old, knowing I wasn't going to make the team, but had the approach that I wanted to showcase that I can do this here, no matter the age."
"we had some of the same ballpark effect the Rangers had last year, that the ball wasn't really flying to left field. You weren't getting rewarded as often and I was trying to find ways to improve the numbers. How can I get hits? How can I get on base? How can I work counts? I put my body into positions that weren't ideal."
"I needed to get back to basics and get myself in the most optimal position for 39 that I could get. And, honestly, I feel like I'm in a better spot than I have been in a number of years."
Andrew McCutchen is competing for a spot on the Texas Rangers' Opening Day roster after signing a minor league contract. The 39-year-old veteran has posted impressive spring training numbers with a .583/.706/.833 slash line through 17 plate appearances. McCutchen's second stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates ended poorly, with a .239/.333/.367 average and sub-replacement level performance in 2025. He attributes some struggles to ballpark effects and mechanical adjustments. McCutchen views this opportunity as motivation to prove he can still perform at a high level, drawing parallels to his early career when he had to prove himself despite doubts.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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