It’s official.

Andrew McCutchen is returning to the Pirates — not that he ever left Pittsburgh.

That’s the best part about this story. Not only did McCutchen fuel the surge that enabled the franchse to end 20 consecutive years of losing with three consecutive playoff appearances, he established roots here.

He married a woman from DuBois, bought a home in the Pittsburgh area and never left despite playing for the Giants, Yankees, Phillies amd Brewers over the past few years. McCutchen approached the Pirates about coming back, not the other way around.

This is a notable, veteran major leaguer who wants to be here.

Naysayers will claim he’s washed up, his better years are behind him. This is just a publicity stunt to put more people in the seats at PNC Park.

Of course, it will do the latter. McCutchen is probably the most beloved Pirate of the last 30 years. Of course, his better years are behind him. The man is 36 years old, after all.