In the final stages of a resurgent season, 37-year-old Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates still feels the sting of being traded away in 2018. The designated hitter, now in his 16th year in the league, recently hit his 20th home run in a Pirates uniform for the eighth time. This milestone only brings to mind what could have been had he not been dealt away as a casualty of baseball’s economics.

McCutchen’s journey post-Pirates took him to several teams, but none could replace Pittsburgh as his true baseball home. While he appreciates achieving rare feats historically for the Pirates, such as rivaling Hall of Famer Willie Stargell in 20 homer seasons, he can’t help but ponder where he would stand on the team’s all-time lists if he had not spent five years as a baseball nomad.

Despite a nagging injury and the wear and tear on his body from over 2,000 games played, McCutchen’s recent power surge is noteworthy. Surpassing expectations with his 20 home runs this season, he remains a patient and strategic hitter, as evidenced by his team-leading 53 walks.

Although McCutchen acknowledges the changes in his playing abilities over the years, he believes he has improved and still has more to offer in the game. His veteran presence on the Pirates roster, surrounded by younger talent like rookie Paul Skenes, gives him hope for a resurgence of the team akin to the one he led in the early 2010s.

Looking ahead, while McCutchen is set to become a free agent after the season, his desire is to continue playing for the team he never wanted to leave. Eager to return the Pirates to playoff contention, he sees potential in the current group of players and envisions being a part of a future resurgence in Pittsburgh’s baseball scene.

Despite the bittersweet feelings of his past departure, McCutchen’s focus remains on the future and the possibility of achieving postseason success once again with the Pirates, the team he considers home.