LOS ANGELES — Andrew McCutchen just isn’t 100%. Studying between the strains of what he and Pirates supervisor Derek Shelton have been saying postgame, it doesn’t sound like he’s notably shut, both.
He was out of the lineup the final three days after aggravating a left quad pressure attempting to attain the tying run on a contact play within the tenth in opposition to the Padres on Wednesday. The preliminary pressure was every week in the past, and that’s on prime of coming off of {a partially} torn Achilles sustained final September, plus the final bodily taxes of being 37 years previous and enjoying in your sixteenth Main League season.
“I’d say swinging the bat, he’s tremendous, however he’s nonetheless transferring gingerly in case you watch him,” Shelton mentioned. “When you get to simply jog, then he’s in a great place, however he’s nonetheless grinding a bit bit. He’s capable of get his swing off, clearly, however aside from that, I believe he’s nonetheless grinding a bit bit.”
“You guys see me operating across the bases,” McCutchen mentioned. “I am not the place I must be. However I will do what I can. I am right here to hit proper now. That is what I will do. Attempt my greatest and if I’ve bought to gimp across the bases, I am going to gimp proper now. Simply attempting to do my job.”
McCutchen will not be operating proper now, however he confirmed Sunday he can nonetheless swing it, homering twice to erase an early four-run deficit. Whereas the Pirates ended up taking the lead within the prime of the tenth, the Dodgers would strike in opposition to David Bednar in his second inning of labor, and the Pirates wound shedding at Dodger Stadium, 6-5, in 10 innings.
The Dodgers struck for a pair of two-out RBIs in each the primary and second innings off of Bailey Falter, however the bullpen — which had been spinning of late — picked him up by posting 5 scoreless frames. That set the stage for McCutchen to tie it together with his second two-run shot of the sport, a blast to left subject off of Anthony Banda within the eighth inning.
Bryan Reynolds would single house Michael A. Taylor to offer the Pirates a quick lead within the tenth, however the Dodgers rallied in opposition to Bednar, who was the final conventional leverage reliever within the bullpen, earlier than Teoscar Hernández knocked a two-out base hit to proper to finish the sport.
McCutchen’s massive sport helped give the Pirates second life, but it surely wasn’t sufficient to forestall their shedding streak from reaching a season-high seven video games. And as he continues to battle by way of his accidents, it raises the query of why it’s essential for him to play reasonably than take extra downtime to attempt to recuperate.
“As a result of my 70 % is best than zero %,” McCutchen answered. “If I can swing the bat, I will swing it. If I am unable to run, I am unable to run, however my job is to hit and DH. They are not asking me to steal bases or something. Simply attempting to do my job. Simply preserve the road transferring, get the following man up, get B-Rey up. That is what I will do. I took a couple of days off and I’m like, ‘All proper, I am able to go.’ That is the place I’m now. Hopefully I am going to really feel a bit higher. So long as I can swing, I will get in there.”
This isn’t the primary time McCutchen has been a part of a younger Pirates staff that stumbled in August, with 2011 and ’12 being probably the most notable examples. It’s too quickly to write down this staff off but, but it surely must proper the ship quick.
And it’s clear McCutchen realized so much from these aforementioned seasons that could possibly be helpful for this membership.
“The sport takes no prisoners,” McCutchen mentioned. “It does not matter who you might be. It does not matter the place you are from or what you probably did to get you there. You have to present up the following day and be able to win. Cannot really feel unhealthy for your self. Recreation does not really feel unhealthy for anyone. Recreation does not care who you might be. Recreation does not care what you probably did final 12 months. Recreation does not care in case you have been an MVP or an All-Star. You have to be able to go the following day. That is what I’ve realized. I do not care that I hit two homers right this moment. I will be able to go tomorrow, attempting to win the ballgame. That is what we have now to do. Gotta put our massive boy pants on and go.
“We do not really feel unhealthy for one another in right here. We’re simply going to shake it off and prepare to go the following day.”
