The Pirates announced to reporters, including , that outfielder/designated hitter is going on the 10-day injured list due to a partial tear in his left Achilles tendon. McCutchen will be in a walking boot for the next six weeks, meaning his season is done with le s than four weeks now remaining on the schedule. The club later officially announced McCutchens IL placement with infielder recalled in a corresponding move. McCutchen, 36, returned to the Pirates this season on a Nick Loftin Jersey one-year, $5MM deal. He had spent his prime with the Bucs but eventually bounced to the Giants, Yankees, Phillies and Brewers as the Pirates underwent a rebuild and gave most of the playing time to younger players. But he was able to don the black and gold again this year, serving as a veteran presence for a young team on the rise. Thats not to say that his position on the roster was merely ceremonial, as hes actually been the clubs best hitter this year. Hes drawn walks in 15.9% of his plate appearances and hit 12 home runs. His .256/.378/.397 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 115, indicating hes been 15% better than the league average hitter this year, the highest mark on the club among those with at least 10 plate appearances. The Bucs are well out of contention at this point but its nonethele s a tough pill to swallow, given his popularity among the fans and around baseball in general. Hes also currently sitting on 299 home runs, meaning he wont have a chance to cro s that milestone this year. Although thats surely frustrating, it seems po sible hell have a chance to hit that marker next year. He has continually been about his desire to return to the Pirates next year and reiterated that stance today, via . He seems to have a good relationship with the franchise, making it fair to expect the two sides to reunite on another deal for 2024. The injury creates some cloudine s about his status, but if the six weeks in the walking boot get him back to health, he should be in line to have a fairly normal offseason and Spring Training. Defensively, McCutchen was primarily a designated hitter this year, only heading to the outfield for 64 2/3 innings. Though the club might want to give some playing time to younger players, they could surely find some at-bats for their best offensive contributor this year, especially considering his iconic status in Pittsburgh. Bobby Witt Jr. Jersey