As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. McCutchen approaches milestone:
Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen currently sits at 1,997 hits for his career, just three away from becoming the 290th player in major league history to record at least 2,000 hits. Other active players who reached similar territory include Joey Votto, Nelson Cruz, and Miguel Cabrera. McCutchen has recorded a trio of three-hit games so far this season, most recently on May 31 against the Giants. He’s gone hitless over his last two games, though he did draw three walks and connect for a game-winning sacrifice fly in last night’s win over the A’s.
It’s been a resurgent season for the 36-year-old veteran, who has slashed an excellent .271/.373/.442 in his return to Pittsburgh, good for a 124 wRC+. That mark would be his highest in a full season since 2015, when he was an All Star for the fifth time, won a fourth consecutive Silver Slugger award, and finished fifth in NL MVP voting. McCutchen will have another chance to reach the milestone this evening against the A’s and right-hander James Kaprielian.
2. Giants getting healthy:
The Giants open a series against the Rockies in Denver today, with right-hander John Brebbia expected to take the mound as an opener against Rockies righty Dinelson Lamet. San Francisco figures to welcome reinforcements for its starting lineup at some point during the three-game set, as Susan Sussler of the San Francisco Chronicle indicates that the club could welcome both lefty slugger Joc Pederson and infielder Thairo Estrada back from the injured list during the coming series.
The return of the duo would be a huge boost for the San Francisco lineup, as each is among the club’s top hitters alongside the likes of J.D. Davis, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Michael Conforto. Pederson has posted the stronger offensive numbers to this point, with a .235/.351/.494 slash (128 wRC+) in 97 plate appearances prior to going on the injured list last month, working exclusively as a designated hitter. Estrada has been similarly productive, slashing .301/.345/.466 (123 wRC+) in 206 plate appearances while contributing with the glove at second base, shortstop, and left field throughout the 2023 campaign.
3. MLBTR Chat Today:
With the calendar now flipped to June, the paths forward for many of MLB’s teams remain murky, even as some organizations set themselves apart from the pack.. If the events of the season so far have spurred any questions in your mind about your favorite team or the league as a whole, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.
McCutchen is not only approaching 2000 hits, he’s one double away from 400, and 5 homeruns away from 300, those are big milestones in what will end up being a very impressive career. Doing it in a Pirates uniform is the cherry on top.
His 400th career double will also be the 300th as a Pirate
He also drew his 1000th career walk this year
Good for Cutch. I wish he would have been a good Giant. But he was fair enough. We needed right handed power. Traded for him. And he got Hit with the old dimensions of the ballpark. They have since changed them.
Giants are about .500 right now. Still a little early to be talking trades. I’d like to run it alittle closer to see whose a keeper and possible trade bait. Bart for sure is a goner. If anything comes up. For the other guys, not sure. Maybe tack on stripling and pay some of that contract down with a few minor leaguers for a starter. People are saying Stroman. Might not be bad. I’m not sure myself right now. Keep winning they’re looking good. But it is very early. And good teams tool up at the end of the season for the playoffs. We’ll see.
Love Cutch and wish him the best in achieving his milestones!A true pro in every sense of the word.
Miggy has 3107 hits so 2000 was quite some time ago. Are those really the only 3 active to approach or pass 2000?
Cutch will become the fifth currently active player at 2000+ hits. The others are Cabrera, Votto, Cruz and… Elvis Andrus.
Freeman and Altuve will get there this year. Longoria technically could, too, but he’d need regular ABs while avoiding the injured list, so probably not in ’23.
Thanks for mentioning Elvis Andrus, who got his 2,000 this year. It would have been nice if Nick Deeds knew this.
I’m sure Nick looked at the same leaderboard I did and just opted to list the top three in terms of active hits leaders.
Thanks Steve. So many great players in the game but just a few over a handful at or near 2000.
Andrus is a huge surprise to me.
McCutchen can knock out at least a couple hits against Kaprielian whose season has been a total train wreck to this point. In fact he should feast on that staff all series long.
So there’s only one player in baseball history to reach 2000 hits, 300 hrs, 200 sbs, 50 bWAR, and finish their career with a 120 OPS+ while playing most of their career in CF. That one player is Willie Mays, and McCutchen has a very good chance of joining Mays to reach all those milestones.
I don’t care about statistics. There’s no way you can compare McCutcheon to the great Willie Mays. I doubt McCutcheon will join Mays in the HOF.
Actually you can compare Willie and Cutch in those particular 5 stat categories. And @mlb1225 just did. As far as I can tell, that’s all he was saying; nothing in there about HOF.
McCutchen cost the Yankees the ALDS by going 2 for 15. Doubt he’s ever forgiven.
McCutchen cost the Yankees the ALDS by going 2 for 15. Doubt he’s ever forgiven.
=======================================================================================Haha, you actually think McCutchen was the reason they loss the ALDS? The RS outscored the Yankees 27-14 in the series, including a 16-1 shellacking, which McCutchen wasn’t the starting pitcher.
Guarantee you he doesn’t care if you’re atoll upset
What???
Na man is an island, upset or not.
2 for 15 is twice as good as Judges 1 for 16 in alcs last year.
Luis Matos knocking at the door – He is excelling at AAA hitting .397
Will SF make the call soon?!
Honestly, I hope not. Let him get more than 78 ABs in Triple A and there is no need to rush him. The OF is healthy once again with the return or Pederson and Slater. Both Conforto and Haniger look like they have turned the corner, especially Conforto. Barring an injury they should wait to see where they stand around the All-star break before bringing him up.
Take C. Schmitt, he was called up due to injuries in the infield not because he lightning it up in triple a.