PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen, Pirates designated hitter/outfielder, firmly denied claims that Washington Nationals pitcher Jorge Lopez intentionally threw at him during a heated April 16 game.
In the seventh inning, Lopez, facing McCutchen with a 1-1 count, unleashed a pitch that veered high and inside, forcing McCutchen to hit the deck to avoid a face-bound ball. Tensions flared as McCutchen and Lopez exchanged heated words, prompting both teams’ benches to empty. Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz restrained McCutchen, then held back left fielder Tommy Pham, both incensed by Lopez’s pitch, which came right after Lopez hit Pirates designated hitter Bryan Reynolds in the previous at-bat.
The umpires ejected Lopez, and the Nationals replaced him with Eduardo Salazar. Salazar walked McCutchen on two pitches, and Cruz followed with a grand slam, propelling the Pirates to a 6-0 lead and eventual victory.
MLB issued a three-game suspension to Lopez for the pitch and a one-game ban to Nationals manager Dave Martinez, coinciding with the series finale. McCutchen and Lopez have a history—McCutchen previously homered off Lopez when he pitched for the Cubs, and Reynolds also smashed a three-run homer off Lopez in a Pirates’ 5-3 comeback win at Wrigley Field on Sept. 2, 2024.
The incident echoed a prior game where Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller accidentally hit Nationals third baseman Paul DeJong in the face, sidelining him. Post-game, McCutchen downplayed intent, saying the situation, not Lopez’s aim, sparked the flare-up. “I don’t think it was on purpose,” McCutchen said. “The moment got to him, maybe. It got away, like with Mitch [Keller]. Thank God for quick reflexes.”
Jomboy Media’s nearly 10-minute video analysis suggested McCutchen believed Lopez’s pitch was intentional, citing Keller’s hit on DeJong. McCutchen refuted this on Twitter, reiterating that Lopez’s pitch was not deliberate.
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