As Andrew McCutchen stepped into the batter's box in the first inning Wednesday night, most of the 24,779 fans in attendance at PNC Park gave him a long standing ovation.
McCutchen stepped out and tipped his helmet to the crowd. The moment of appreciation in the Pirates' 5-3 victory over the Orioles was to honor the former National League MVP for all he's done in his nine seasons in Pittsburgh, especially since it was possibly his final home game on the North Shore.
No, McCutchen did not even consider the idea that it could be his final goodbye to the fans. Instead, he's focused on how he and his teammates can position themselves to rebound in 2018, including young players such as Josh Bell who shined in an otherwise dismal season.
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