He is just the 294th player in league history to reach it, and is one of only five active players with at least 2,000 hits. He joins Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto, Nelson Cruz and Elvis Andrus on that list.

Los Angeles Dodgers first basemen Freddie Freeman is also closing in on that mark with 1,990 hits entering play on Sunday.

It is fitting that McCutchen was able to reach that milestone as a member of the Pirates after spending the bulk of his career, including his best years in the league, with the franchise. McCutchen’s arrival in Pittsburgh during the 2009 season started a gradual climb for the team that saw them end a 20-year streak of losing seasons and return to the playoffs during the 2013 season. 

McCutchen helped lead the Pirates to three consecutive playoff appearances, finished in the top-five of the National League MVP voting in four consecutive seasons (something no Pirates player had ever done before him) and won the award during the 2013 season.

It was all a huge accomplishment given the state of the franchise for nearly two decades and made McCutchen an iconic player in Pittsburgh for helping to revitalize baseball in the city. 

The Pirates traded him to San Francisco after the 2017 season and he spent the next few years bouncing between the Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers.

He returned to Pittsburgh this season on a one-year deal and has been a big part of the team’s surprising climb to the top of the National League Central Division through the first two-plus months of the season. He may not be the superstar, MVP finalist he was during his peak years but he is still a very productive player. 

That has been a welcome sight for Pirates fans. Especially seeing him reach a significant career milestone in their uniform.