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McCutchen: Roberto Clemente Award Tops MVP
6 Oct
Summary
- Andrew McCutchen valued the Roberto Clemente Award above his MVP.
- The award honors character and community involvement.
- McCutchen's career spanned 2009-2017 and 2023-2025.
Andrew McCutchen, a distinguished player in Pittsburgh Pirates history, recently shared his most cherished career achievement. While acknowledging his five All-Star selections, four Silver Slugger awards, a Gold Glove, and the 2013 National League MVP, McCutchen identified winning the Roberto Clemente Award in 2015 as his paramount memory. He expressed that this award surpassed all others due to its representation of character and community impact.
The Roberto Clemente Award, renamed from the Commissioner's Award in 1973, honors athletes embodying outstanding character, philanthropy, and contributions both on and off the field. This recognition is deeply tied to the legacy of Roberto Clemente, who tragically died in 1972 while on a humanitarian mission. Only two Pirates players have received this honor: Clemente himself and Willie Stargell.
McCutchen's extensive career with the Pirates, which included tenures from 2009-2017 and 2023-2025, is filled with memorable moments. These include a three-home run game in his 2009 rookie season and a crucial walk-off home run in the 14th inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015. His peak performance coincided with the Pirates' successful playoff run from 2013-2015, ending a historic 20-year losing streak. In his second tenure, he also surpassed Clemente on the Pirates' all-time home run list in 2025.
