Phiten Pirates: Andrew McCutchen creates newest mojo with black-and-gold necklaces

Searching for a spark to ignite the Pittsburgh Pirates, Andrew McCutchen turned back the clock Monday when he handed out black-and-gold Phiten necklaces to his teammates.

When the Pirates responded with a season-best 14 hits in a 10-3 win over the Washington Nationals to snap a three-game losing streak, McCutchen might have created the team’s newest mojo.

“I don’t know if I’ll take it off,” Pirates catcher Henry Davis said, with a smile. “It was great, a lot of good energy. … It’s a fun thing. It’s just fun. If you can’t have fun, it sucks, so fun first.”

Cutch on tonight's lucky necklaces ⬇️????

"I used to ball out with 'em back in the day, so, might as well give it to the whole team... we put ten runs up on the field. It's not a coincidence."@mearshannah_ | #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/4mLdpmOUNx

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) April 15, 2025

The woven rope necklaces, which contain micro-sized titanium spheres and carbonized titanium, are marketed as increasing energy, improving balance, flexibility and strength and providing relaxation and relief. McCutchen wore a purple-and-gold model in the opening homestand but used his connections to order the team colors for his teammates.

The Pirates were in need of all of the above after the franchise encountered controversies ranging from “sell the team” chants from fans at the home opener to removing a Roberto Clemente sign in right field and the recycling of “Bucco Bricks” in their first homestand.

To make matters worse, the Pirates started the season by losing 11 of their first 16 games, including a three-game sweep at the National League Central rival Cincinnati Reds. Their offense ranked dead last in multiple offensive categories, so McCutchen looked for some magic.

“So it’s … hey, man, whatever it takes,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton, who was booed when introduced before the home opener against the New York Yankees. “I don’t care. Whatever it takes.”

Andrew McCutchen brought back some Zoltan mojo by giving his Pirates teammates black-and-gold Phiten necklaces to wear Monday night for their 10-3 win over the Nationals. pic.twitter.com/aEwH4ERkVf

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 15, 2025

Even though there is no scientific proof that Phiten necklaces provide anything more than a placebo effect, McCutchen knows how something silly can become a bond for a team. And the Pirates were willing to follow the lead of the 17-year veteran, who is a five-time All-Star, 2013 NL MVP and franchise icon.

“Yeah, he brings a lot. He’s great to have around,” Pirates All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds said. “This is just one public example that you can see.”

McCutchen recalled how catcher Rod Barajas and pitcher A.J. Burnett going to see the movie “Dude, Where’s My Car?” begat the Pirates flashing the signature Zoltan symbol with their hands to celebrate big plays. It created a catchphrase and craze for Pirates fans in celebrating three consecutive wild-card playoff appearances from 2013-15.

“We ran with it. It grew to what it did,” McCutchen said. “I’m not saying Phitens is the new Zoltan, but it gives us something to cheer about, something to laugh about. You just have to do that in this game. I guess that was my way of doing it.”

The Phiten necklaces were popularized in the early 2000s by Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson and the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, so McCutchen knows that the mojo matters so long as the team believes the necklaces can be a good luck charm.

“When it comes to baseball, you’ll do whatever it takes to turn things around,” McCutchen said. “It’s just kind of cool that we were able to do something as a team, then it translated into the game and we had the game that we did. You could say coincidence, I guess, but I think it’s more just these are the things that you need to do as a team sometimes to win ballgames. Sometimes, it takes buying in just to do something. We just all bought in on it and ran with it. It worked out for us.”