How MLB Player Andrew McCutchen Keeps God at the Center
By Movieguide® Contributor
In a podcast appearance, MLB outfielder Andrew McCutchen talked about the importance of keeping God at the center of his life.
McCutchen is in his 15th season as a Major Leaguer, having debuted with the Pittsburg Pirates in 2009. After nine seasons in Pittsburg, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants at the beginning of 2018, only to be traded to the Yankees 7 months later, then in December of 2018, he was traded to Philadelphia on a 3-year deal. In 2023, he returned to Pittsburg to play for his original team.
McCutchen is a decorated player. He was voted into the All-Star game five times, received the Silver Slugger Award four times, he also won the Golden Glove in 2012 and was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 2013. Despite all of these accomplishments, McCutchen keeps God at the center of his life and knows that He is more important than baseball.
“I grew up in a family who were faith based. I grew up in the church,” McCutchen said. “We lived literally right across the street from our church, and we went from there. That’s what it was all about and our lives revolved around the church, revolved around God.”
“I learned from a very young age how important to have a relationship with God is,” he continued. “[My parents] told me it would be my decision when I wanted to have that relationship with God and want to go deeper, and I did that at the age of sixteen. I got baptized at 16.”
These deep roots in his relationship with God have allowed McCutchen to prioritize his faith amid long, tiring MLB seasons. Because he has pursued God for so long, McCutchen understands that he needs believers around him to maintain his faith.
“You need an accountability partner. You need someone to hold you accountable throughout a season. You’re away from your family so much, you’re by yourself a lot. That can become hard sometimes throughout the year and throughout the season, temptations are there, whatever that it may be. There are just a lot of things that are accessible and easily given to you,” McCutchen said.
While playing for the Giants, McCutchen and teammate Derek Holland supported each other through an open-door policy. This policy allowed them to always be available for each other and it helped McCutchen to know that somebody was there for him; he didn’t have to go through the season alone.
Keeping his faith strong during the season is important to McCutchen because he believes he has been given such talent in baseball so he would have a platform to spread the gospel. Something, he recognizes, he can only do well when his own faith is solid.
“With the help of a lot of people, I started to realize… I can use these talents for the greater good. Knowing that God blessed me to be a baseball player, I knew I could be something even bigger. I used the platform that I had and I went out there and tried to make a difference,” he said.
“Being a baseball player, that’s great and I definitely enjoy that, but I also understand that I can be a bigger difference on the field and off. I use that to my advantage and just try to be an example for the next person and for whoever is watching,” he continued.
“[Baseball] is amazing and is important, and I realize that, but God is more important than the game and one day this game is going be over, you’re not going be playing it anymore and so you’ve got to realize what is most important and I feel like my relationship with Him is most.
Movieguide® previously reported on McCutchen:
Andrew McCutchen, the current Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder made his five-year return in 2023.
McCutchen played his first nine seasons with the Pirates and recently hit his first home run back as a Pirate.
“I was trying to keep my feelings in check up there, but at the same time, I didn’t want to suppress them,” McCutchen said after Friday’s game. McCutchen admitted that he had to hold back tears.
One moment in particular is when he walked past the visiting team’s clubhouse.
“Man, I tell you, it was something walking and going past the visiting clubhouse, and I was like, ‘Thank God.’”
McCutchen is one of Pittsburgh’s top players however, he doesn’t see it that way.
Each game McCutchen is reminded what is more important than baseball. On each forearm, McCutchen wears a yellow band with a black stitched cross. In addition, he wears a cross earring in each ear.
“This game is amazing and it is important, and I realize that, but God is more important than the game,” McCutchen said.
McCutchen’s spiritual lineage came from his parents as both grew stronger in their faith when Andrew was born. His father became a minister, and his mother sang in the church choir.
“God is the main thing,” McCutchen remembers from his father. “It’s good to have other interests, but know that no matter what happens, God is all you need. All your gifts are gifts from Him.”
McCutchen is still unashamed about his faith and holds tightly to Romans 8:28 through all circumstances.
“That’s definitely something I’ve realized in my successes and my failures, … Jesus’ love never changes,” McCutchen said in another interview. “It doesn’t matter how well I do or how bad I do, His love for me never, never changes and it never will.”
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