Apple TV had no idea who Andrew McCutchen was during Pirates game

Who is Andrew McCutchen? – Apple TV+ has done a solid job carving out a slick broadcast lane for itself in MLB. The cameras are sharp, the graphics are clean, the vibe is young and fresh. But every now and then, the baseball gods remind you: this ain’t as easy as it looks.

Case in point: Friday night in Pittsburgh.

During the Pirates-Reds game, Paul Skenes — the most hyped rookie pitcher in the league — was in the dugout doing a live interview with the Apple TV+ crew.

He was talking about Andrew McCutchen, a five-time All-Star, former NL MVP, franchise icon, dreadlocked legend, face-of-the-franchise-turned-folk-hero kind of guy.

“I grew up watching him,” Skenes said. “I remember his MVP year and the playoff years in Pittsburgh and he was at the center of all that.”

So what did Apple TV do while Skenes was singing Cutch’s praises? They showed a random guy in the Pirates dugout who very much was not Andrew McCutchen. Not even close.

We’re talking full screen, split screen, close-up — this mystery man got the whole camera package while Andrew McCutchen’s name was coming out of Skenes’ mouth.

They did it twice.

Apple TV didn’t know who Andrew McCutchen was during Pirates game

…..did apple tv really think this was Andrew McCutchen? I have no words. pic.twitter.com/0cM3zVXhAo

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) April 11, 2025

This wasn’t some anonymous September call-up. This was Andrew freaking McCutchen, the most recognizable Pirates player of the last 20 years. A guy with his own bobbleheads, murals, kids named after him, probably.

It’s like misidentifying Jeter in a Yankees dugout or mistaking Big Papi for the guy handing out sunflower seeds. It just doesn’t happen. Until it does.

Now look — mistakes happen. But for a network trying to position itself as the slick new age of baseball broadcasts, this was a pretty brutal moment.

This wasn’t just a bad graphic or a mispronounced name. It was straight-up not knowing who one of the most iconic players in the game is — while someone is literally talking about him.

The good news is that we all know Andrew McCutchen is a class act, so he probably laughed it off. The bad news for Apple TV is that we all saw it — and yeah, we’re gonna roast it.

Next time, maybe just… Google the guy or radio in to the camera guy so everyone is on the same page? Or, I don’t know, check the back of the jersey.

Join The Chase