Andrew McCutchen hits 1st homer of spring as Pirates beat Twins

Andrew McCutchen continues to check boxes in his return from an Achilles injury that ended his 2023 season early last September.

The 37-year-old designated hitter belted his first home run of the spring 418 feet to center in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday in helping the Pirates to a 6-3 win over the Twins at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.

Batting leadoff, McCutchen went 1 for 3. On Tuesday, he singled in his first game of the spring.

Ke’Bryan Hayes gave the Bucs a 1-0 lead when he smacked a solo homer — his third of the spring — to left in the bottom of the fourth inning. It had an exit velocity of 108.4 mph and traveled nearly 400 feet. Hayes is 7 for 17 this spring with seven RBIs.

Catcher Jason Delay, center fielder Matt Fraizer and Jake Lamb also knocked in runs.

Lefty Martin Perez had a solid start, allowing one hit — a Trevor Larnach solo homer — with two strikeouts and two walks over four innings. He threw 37 of his 55 pitches for strikes.

Righty Roansy Contreras was tagged for three runs on four hits, including a homer, in 2 1/3 innings of relief. He threw 22 of 35 pitches for strikes. Chase Anderson earned the win after tossing two no-hit innings of relief with one strikeout.

Plum native Alex Kirilloff was 1 for 3 for the Twins and is batting .250 this spring.

The Pirates also played the Braves in a split-squad game and tied 6-6 in North Port, Fla.

DH Canaan Smith-Njigba hit a two-run homer, and first baseman Billy McKinney had two hits and three RBIs for the Pirates.

The Pirates will next visit the Tigers in Lakeland at 1:05 p.m. Saturday. Luis Ortiz will start against Detroit’s Matt Manning.

• After the games, the Pirates announced they optioned right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to the minor leagues. Pitchers Connor Sadzeck and Sean Sullivan also were reassigned to minor-league camp, leaving 58 players in big league camp.