A busy month of December has seen the free agent cupboard mostly cleared out. Yet as we begin 2023 there are still a few interesting options on the open market for teams looking for upgrades heading into the new season. Of course, many teams will look to the trade market over the next month or two – particularly if they’re after impact options – but good deals can still be found in free agency.
One such player is a former MVP, who remains a threat at the plate and is well-regarded as a veteran presence in the clubhouse. Andrew McCutchen may not be the same player that went to five-straight All Star games with the Pirates, but he could still help a lot of teams. There was a report in early December that the Rays and Dodgers had interest in McCutchen, but it’s been quiet since. The Dodgers have since signed J.D. Martinez, which may rule them out, but the Rays could still feasibly have a spot for him.
McCutchen, 36, spent the past season with the Brewers on a one-year, $8MM deal. They’d signed him on the back of three years in Philadelphia, which culminated in McCutchen hitting .222/.334/.444 with 27 home runs over 574 plate appearances. It was a solid enough season, but what perhaps got Milwaukee’s attention was the way in which McCutchen torched left-handed pitching in 2021, slashing .293/.405/.622 in 195 plate appearances against southpaws. It was particularly pronounced in 2021, but McCutchen’s splits have favored hitting against left-handers over his career.
Unfortunately for the Brewers, it wasn’t the case in 2022. McCutchen would hit just .221/.303/.435 against left-handers in Milwaukee, contributing to an overall line of .237/.316/.384 overall line of 580 plate appearances. While his walk and strikeout rates have trended in the wrong direction in recent times, they were still reasonable marks, as he struck out 21.4% of the time against a 9.8% walk rate. That was good for a wRC+ of 98, a couple of ticks below the league average but the first time it had dipped below 100 in his career. He did enjoy a 262 plate appearance tear in the middle of the summer, where he crushed 11 home runs and hit at an .868 OPS. Of course, the fact that his overall season mark was well below that suggests there were some very lean runs in there as well.
Perhaps the biggest concern from McCutchen’s season was the drop in power. He slugged 27 home runs a year prior with the Phillies, but hit just 17 last season. American Family Field in Milwaukee is generally less favorable to home run hitters than Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, but it was still a significant drop in long balls. In McCutchen’s defense, his exit velocity and HardHit% were both roughly the same as a year earlier, so he’s still making plenty of solid contact.
On the defensive side of things, McCutchen has spent most of his time in the DH spot in recent years, but can still play the outfield, and enjoyed a bit of success there in 2022. He was worth 5 Defensive Runs Saved in a small sample of 268 1/3 innings, while he also spent a small amount of time in right and center. He did make 82 appearances in the DH spot and his days of being an everyday outfielder are probably over, but he’s by no means a liability in the field and his numbers in 2022 could encourage a new team to give him a larger workload in the field in 2023.
McCutchen will likely sign another one-year deal, quite possibly in the same range as the $8MM salary he took home in 2022. At this stage of free agency, most of the players available have some flaws, but McCutchen could still work as a solid option for a number of teams. He still has ~20 home run power, draws walks at a bit above the league average rate and doesn’t strike out too often. While he’s not likely to be a team’s everyday outfielder, he could shift around the corner outfield spots, making DH appearances and allowing teams to spell their starting outfielders on a regular basis. Further to that, McCutchen’s got a good clubhouse reputation and could perhaps work on a contending team with a slightly younger roster. While he’s unlikely to be a difference maker at this point, teams could do worse than bringing in the veteran to deepen their roster for the upcoming season.
DH/part-time OF for maybe the Rangers or the Mariners would make sense.
You are right. I would definitely like to see McCutchen with the Rangers.
I see the Rangers as well
Could see him as a fit for Texas. Had a good year playing for Bochy before. Definitely a guy who was hurt by the shift. Would love to see the Giants sign him as a LF platoon guy but I doubt he wants to come here.
Deep in the heart of Texas!
Not saying he’s done, done – but it does look like Cutch’s goose is cooked
It’s a good thing Andrew signed that extension with the Bucs or else some other team would have signed him to a free agent contract worse than Heyward’s.
Impossible everyone said that was terrible trade the pirates did at the time.
For all the flack bad teams small market teams get from not signing free agents, it’s too bad fans don’t realize bad drafting and or developing is much worst for a franchise than payroll constraints.
Bad Scott boras has tricked all the simpletons into thinking free agency is how you win when it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Terrible trade? Netted the Reynolds. Also got Crick and he was doing well out of the pen. Unfortunately for the Bucs and Crick, Crick decided to throw a right hand and connected with the face of the closer who shall remain nameless and tore up his hand and needed surgery. Has never been the same since. It was a good trad,at,the time.
Iver-I agree and disagree-Free agency is not the be all end all unless perhaps you are Steve Cohen and can buy your way to the top with no money constraints.
The truly dominant teams generally have good minor league systems that draft and coach their young players into the major leagues where many are successful.
The best small market teams can do that too but cannot generally afford the best players once they become free agents.
In order to win championships I think that a team needs at least two or three dominant players,generally veterans,in order to push them over the top.These players typically have very high salaries,and are much more often than not gained through free agency.
His Statcast numbers are thoroughly in the average category. He can still move as his Sprint Speed was in the 90th percentile. His plate discipline is excellent. I’ve seen Statcast numbers on “cooked” players and Andrew is far from cooked.
He could actually start in LF for the Rangers, as opposed to what they look like they’re going to trot out there.
Anyone with a pulse would help. They have an elite rotation and infield, with Seager, Semien, Lowe, and top prospect Jung expected to be healthy. Their team is so top heavy. Besides the Angels, I can’t think of a team with such an unbalanced lineup. Garver can be an elite catcher or DH at best and average at worst, but Heim and 2 outfield spots are currently shaky. Imagine how good the offense could be if they plugged in that hole in left.
pretty sure heim’s receiving skills will keep him in the starting lineup over garver. Either way having both of them is great.
If Heim catches, Garver would probably be in the lineup as the DH. Consider his 129 OPS+ the last 4 seasons (including the awful 2020 season). He had a 0.995 Mike Napolean OPS in 2019 and an 0.875 OPS in 2021. This is far better than whatever they have at DH. His career averages are .248 .334 .479 .813 with 28 homeruns, 61 walks, and 150 Ks. Given he was injured last year, I think he can be one of the top bats. However, Heim’s last year seemed to be an anomaly since he faded significantly offensively the second half. Also, considering framing isn’t going to matter if there is an automatic strike zone in 2024, his inability to catch throws from an infield in infield will weigh more heavily on his defensive ratings. The Rangers stole the most strikes in MLB, according to MLB Network. You can see that video on mlb.com somewhere.
Agree 100%. He’d be an upgrade.
He’ll sign with a team that won’t trade their top player mid season.
Ohhh! Me! Pick me! Pick me!
The Rangers need a guy like him. He has the power, speed, and plate discipline that Texas can use. Their offense had high K/BB ratios and their pitching staff had low K/BB ratios. With deGrom, Eovaldi, and Heaney (all had K/BB over 5 last year), along with Odorizzi, they should have fixed the pitching side of things. Now, they can use a guy who can teach younger guys how to not chase balls in the dirt and 2 feet outside. If only Josh Hamilton had someone like that in 2012 who could teach him plate discipline.
Not so much on the speed or power, plate discipline comes and goes. That being said, he’d help them.
I think he has a good chance of signing with a team that has a post season good chance over money. At this point I would think he is playing for a ring and not money
Has there ever been a deal with a Major League contract (not a Minor League contract) that allows a player to opt-out midseason? If so, more teams could sign him and let him leave if they don’t have a shot. He would have to obviously take a discount (6 mil AAV or so), but maybe that could be a new thing if it hasn’t been tried already.
No contract with an opt out from
Major league contract. What has happened in the past is that a lot of players sign contracts with gentleman agreements that they would be traded if their team was out of it by the trade deadline.
Minor league deals contain opt out opportunities if not added to the 26 man roster on a regular basis, but, that’s about it. Generally a team trades a disgruntled player before having them mess with chemistry if they aren’t getting the playing time that was agreed with the handshake
Of course, those are common. Most recently, I recall Matt Carpenter being given that type of deal. I just didn’t think MLB deals were like that. The decision to let Matt Carpenter go, though….
No. Besides what kind of player having an individual good year contractually chooses mid-year to abandon his team and coaches for greener pastures. Being traded is one thing. I wouldn’t want said player on my team during a playoff run. What’s to say he won’t quit on the team (a la Aroldis Chapman) when they need him the most during the dog days. Bad precedence.
I am saying minor league contracts with opt-outs happen. Majored leage deals with mid-season opt-outs are ones I haven’t heard of. Your reasoning for the major league side does seem to make sense, though.
Thx to Bauer, Cutch can play for the Dodgers for $99,900. LOL.
Cutch is one of those guys where it seems like his surroundings can really influence his play. I bet if you throw him on a squad with warm weather and winning momentum, he will match the talent around him and flash a bit of his old self.
Amazing to think, when you look at today’s aging players, that a self-described washed-up Mickey Mantle who “couldn’t play” had an age-36 season with 144 games, a line of .237/.385/.398 with a wOBA of .361 and WRC+ of 145! And his BABIP reflected poor luck on balls in play at a .262.
Wish Cutch all the best. Loved him as a temp Yankee. Awesome attitude, good disposition, and a leader for the team’s youth to model.
.385 OBP = very nice!
I would love to see Cutch end his fabulous career as a part time LF/DH with my M’s. Give him 1 year/$5 million….maybe add some incentives.
It would be great for Julio and JK to get some needed veteran guidance from a former superatar OF’er!
Bring him back to the Burgh.
Seems sensible, but i bet he’d like a chance at a ring.
maybe next year .. he’s not completely washed just yet 😉
Mr. McCutchen is a wonderful human being and a true professional that exudes leadership.
Unfortunately, in the past 2 years with the Phillies and Brewers he’s been below par when he has to play the field. While he gets some clutch hits at times, he’s been ordinary as a hitter – not what contending teams want from a DH…especially when said teams have a good hitter with a minor injury or a player they want to rest some by pulling him from the field for a few days….using the DH for those types of circumstances.
I get that the man still wants to play, but even taking a roster spot for a contender is questionable. I’ll join others in saying that it would be nice if he went back to the Pirates for a year or two to end is career; doing some playing and mostly mentoring the young players. He can be a bridge to a not very good manager.
Samuel-I think that he is one of the classiest Pirates since I have been following them since 1961.
I think that he could still help a young contending team as an occasional outfielder and DH against left handed pitchers and as a full time leader.
He would have been a good addition to the Pirates but they did not listen to me.
There are plenty of posters here who could do as good of a job as Shelton in certain respects.
For his class and leadership alone, any team would benefit from his presence. Not a big Pirates follower, but I’m not surprised at your profound respect for him. I remember as a young lad being in awe of Clemente, got to see him in 1972 at Shea stadium from right on the third base dugout. Loved that era of baseball.
He could go to ST with the rest of the group to see who will play LF for the Braves?
And he’d be a clubhouse leader. He’d be a candidate for a player who’d elevate by being in Atlanta (to a realistic level).
Would be an infinitely better option than Luplow.
Good fit for the jays 4th OF.
I was thinking the same thing. Quite a few aging former all-stars have shown they can at least come close to replicating previous talent levels if given proper rest. As players get older those nagging injuries take more of a toll and prevent them from playing up to their abilities. A few off the top of my head are Pujols, Thome, Pence, and Carpenter.
To clarify I’m not saying saying he would reach the level of say Pujols, just that it’s not out the question that he could return to above league average production with more rest between games.
If he could get his production against lefties closer to his career averages he could potentially make a great short side platoon partner for KK (with Varsho taking CF when KK is out). It could help both of them to stay healthy and productive.
If the jacket fits…
Same thoughts…..for the intangibles but also, I could see him really some damage with the dome To hit in and some legit lineup protection.
Only want him if he is realistic with a contract, no 10 mill a year with a 2 million buyout next year
Cubs need to sign Hosmer and use the savings to sign Cutch to a one year. That would make them that much closer to winning the central.
he makes only a little sense for the Pirates at this point given other signings. But I’d still like to see it happen. Still other than the feel good moment.. doesn’t make much sense
Pirates outfield crop is pretty thin.. they have quite a bit but nothing really standing out except Suwinski’s power.. of course Reynolds… . But still.. bringing Cutch in as a full time OF/DH would eat into time for those trying to make a mark and they already ate into that with other signings.
As a fan i’d like to see him back regardless of the baseball implications
But you know… like just my opinion 😉
I think they’re still trying to see what they got.
Choi, Santana and Miguel Andrujar are plenty of options at DH
Need to let the young guys play the OF.
A Cutch reunion would be more possible next offseason, but I don’t think we’ll ever see it.
Carlos Santana filled a big need as a defender at 1B.
as the article states, Cutch is mainly a LHP specialist on a contender at this point.
Why did the Pirates gum up their OF with Connor Joe?
I realize other teams (Rox, Fish) also seemingly enjoy blocking their prospects as they sink to the bottom of the standings.
But as you pointed out, Suwinski has legit thunder.
Instead of letting him figure it out with 500 ABs on a team in perpetual rebuild-purgatory (no offense) they put up road blocks that’ll impede his development at the MLB level.
Pants-In answer to your question,the only reason to me is that Joe is righthanded and the GM thinks they needed another one to complement two lefties and Andujar as outfielders.
In my opinion he was just gumming up the roster and losing a valuable roster space.
@Pants also Choi. both Choi and Joe can play 1b as well.
Still one of the easiest guys to root for in MLB. Would love to see him have some more productive games.
Maybe a deal with the Braves? Platoon him and Rosario in LF? Hopefully dump Ozuna somewhere and get a little salary relief.
You are not getting salary relief for Ozuna. At best, you have the same type of deal as Hosmer to Boston. You might get a roster spot by paying another team to take him.
I’d actually be OK with Ozuna and cash in Colorado in exchange for Grichuk. Ozuna, Daza, Bryant could be a decent OF.
Ozuna in that massive OF would be a disaster. He would hit his share of tape measure homers though.
Ozuna in the outfield is as humorous as watching Vogelbach run the bases, but when the game, or the season, is on the line, not so funny anymore.
He’d be a perfect 4th OF/DH for the Blue Jays. Kiermaier and Springer both have injury histories, and neither Kiermaier nor Varsho are great against lefties. When not spelling an outfielder, McCutchen could be the DH on days where Kirk catches. I’d say 1 year and $8 million would be worth it for the Jays if that’s what gets him signed.
Let’s talk to Ross…
As a Giants fan I really enjoyed watching McCutchen play, had respect for him, before he became a Giant and felt a small twinge of sadness, when he left. I’m glad he’s still around and hope he continues to play at a decent level for as long as he can
His stat’s from last year would have made him the best on the Tiger’s, so who’s washed up ? Can Harris fix things in Detroit ? Draft lottery winning might bring some much needed help these next two years.
He played a tolerable center field in 2022, and with a 99 OPS+ could certainly serve as a fourth outfielder for some team. Great teammate in his brief stint with the Yankees. The affection from his teammates was easy to see. His bat flips on walks were a favorite, too. Even with his declining OBP, his 57 walks this season matched Bogaerts, Riley and Grisham. I’d replace Hicks with McCutcheon in a New York minute.
Oh come on, you’d do it in a New York second.
RF, 7 mil, WSox. Too much sense. Hahn won’t though. Huge coward. HUGE
Rather have him in LF over Aaron Hicks.
Not sure why any team would want him as anything more than a reserve at this point in his career. He’s not a solid player anymore. Hasn’t been for years.
He’s better than anything Boston has right now, Yoshida still yet to prove himself in the majors.
IMO he will sign a one year contract with the Reds. He gets GASP ballpark for HRS to look dangerous again and Reds flip him at trade deadline for a low level prospect from a contender. Then Cutch closes out a good MLB career with playoff team.
Come on back to Philly, Cutch. Gonna be without Harper for two or three months. Probably could get 300+ ABs as a DH and playing LF on days when we face a tough LHP and don’t need Schwarber striking out three times.
Total class, and a feather in any team’s cap who aspires to make the October dance-a-thon.
Rangers look good on paper but their potential for injuries is hanging like a dark cloud. Cutch could bring some stability in the OF and in the clubhouse. Especially if de Grom goes down early. I think it’s wishful thinking to expect that rotation to last. We’ll see.
Loved having him in Philly…one of the finest human beings in the sport. Before the ACL injury, we were still looking at a just past his prime player that was a huge difference-maker in a lineup. After that, not so much. Not his fault, and I will always be happy that we got the chance to have him here in Philly.
From a pure baseball standpoint, if one is looking at him as a 4th OF and veteran stabilizer at this point in time, it will be a great move for any team. But the defense is now average or less from the eyeball perspective, and the bat has slowed. Time and injury…still a solid player if used in a judicious manner. And no team would be ill-served to have him around to exemplify professionalism.
As a Reds fan, why not sign him for 1 yr 8m? Should hit 20+ hrs and be a nice flip at the deadline. Cutch in left, Senzel/Friedl/Fraley in center and Myers in right would be decent to watch. We can certainly afford it.
I do think $8M is a perfect valuation for him at this point. Maybe the A’s or maybe the Rangers.
I know it’s weird but given their concerns if they don’t bring back Gardner or can’t swing a good trade, McCutchen could be an okay Yankees target if they truly have no faith in Hicks.
I would like to see him sign with the Braves. He could be a platoon player in LF and DH some. He would also provide great leadership in the clubhouse and with the young outfield in ATL (Harris II and Acuña).
He’d definitely fill that role very well, but AA would have to get Ozuna off the roster for that to work which is easier said than done.
I think he’d be perfect in CLE as DH and 4th OF. Whether or not the FO can stomach the $8M or so is another matter altogether.