The Rangers are bringing veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen aboard on a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The Aegis Sports client’s deal is still pending a physical.
McCutchen, 39, is years removed from peak form but still turned in a .239/.333/.367 slash (95 wRC+) last year in what now looks like his final season with the Pirates. His .267/.353/.389 output against left-handed pitching was a bit above average, and he knocked lefties around at a heftier .261/.383/.410 clip as recently as 2023.
For the past three years, McCutchen has suited back up for his original club in Pittsburgh, where he was a first-round pick who broke out as a star and eventually won National League MVP honors. The hope for both McCutchen and the Pirates was that he’d return to play out his final seasons where it all began, leading a more competitive Bucs club back to the playoffs in the twilight of his career.
That storybook ending never came to be. Pittsburgh struggled in each of the past three seasons, finishing under .500 each year along the way. The Bucs fired manager Derek Shelton last May and took a more urgent and aggressive approach to building up their offense this winter. Pittsburgh acquired Brandon Lowe via trade and signed free agents Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna. They had even bigger targets throughout the winter (e.g. Kyle Schwarber, Josh Naylor, Kazuma Okamoto, Eugenio Suárez). All those pursuits cast doubt on whether there was room for one more go-around with McCutchen on what’d have been a more nostalgic/sentimental reunion. Last month’s signing of Ozuna all but confirmed that the book on the three-year reunion with McCutchen had been closed.
McCutchen now heads to the Rangers in hopes of grabbing a bench spot. His right-handed bat makes for a natural platoon complement alongside designated hitter Joc Pederson. Cutch could also see some time in the outfield corners when Texas faces off against left-handed starters, with Wyatt Langford shifting over to center field in place of lefty-swinging Evan Carter, who has just five hits in 68 career plate appearances against southpaws.
There’s little sense citing McCutchen’s career .289/.387/.514 slash against lefties, since so much of that is influenced by otherworldly production during his MVP peak. However, even over the three seasons in his late-career return to PNC Park, McCutchen hit .244/.353/.392 in 435 plate appearances. That sort of production is more solid than eye-catching, but it’d still mark an upgrade over the awful .225/.290/.363 batting line the Rangers turned in versus left-handed pitching in 2025.
Braves. Seriously, I don’t understand what you’re doing?
All my best to Cutch, though. Love that guy and hope he has a great season.
Braves cant really do anything with that 18M until the MLBPA concludes their appeal of Profar’s suspension. Profar’s suspension doesn’t actually go into effect until tomorrow.
I get that but they surely could have signed a similar deal for Cutch.
The Braves have a great framework of a lineup but they are really setting themselves up for desperation signings at the deadline if they are competitive at that point.
Braves won’t do anything at the deadline except sign a dfa or something. They’ll have that “dry powder”, but won’t spend it unless another acre or two next to the Battery becomes available.
@brave — They won a WS by Deadline moves. I get that it’s been awhile, but AA reminds everyone every press conference with that massive nugget on his finger.
@brave – Now that you say that watch AA pull of a stunner and land Buxton in a trade.
Why? Don’t the Braves already have a 0.1 WAR – equivalent player tee’d up for the OF? Cutch was great in his time, but he hasn’t even been a 2.0 bWAR player since his age 30-season, and has had sub-replacement level numbers with the exception of the juiced-ball 2021 HR total since 2018.
Right now their FG depth chart shows Baldwin starting at catcher and at DH. Dubon also will need to cover SS until Kim is back so they really have no outfield depth. Having someone like Cutch that can be a steady (and cheap!) DH at least until Kim is back, maybe even until Murphy is back is a smart thing to do. I don’t understand how the Braves think they’re going to field a consistently competitive team right now given their hesitancy to shore up any of their vulnerable positions.
Braves can get by with Eli White until Murphy and Kim get back in May…not clear to me that Cutch is much if an an upgrade to White at this point. When Kim gets back Dubon is a perfect platoon partner with Yaz. Catchers can DH most of the time when Murphy returns.
Braves. Soler.
Don’t hurt anyone kicking rocks, Braves fans.
Oh I’m going to……..
Is pounding sand ok?
No! It has to be a hard object
Hope he makes the roster. Wish he had been back in Pittsburgh but I get why they moved on.
Since Andruw Jones is in the HOF, McCutchen should get in easily.
Like by buying an admission ticket? I get in just as easily for $25.
True, but Hiflew has a point since the HOF has become the Hall of Very Good.
It’s been the Hall of good for a while…. Ray Schalk, Freddie Lindstrom, GEORGE KELLY?!!
I love Cutch and I can’t wait to have my picture next to his statue at PNC Park. I hope the Pirates retire his number as quickly as they can cause he’s been transformative to this franchise.
BUT
He’s not a HOF unless he has some crazy remaining years of his career. OF that were better than him that are not in:
Bernie Williams
Jim Edmonds
Lance Berkman
Johnny Damon
What did Cutch win in Pittsburgh? Nothing.
Love Cutch, too, but you’re right.
And you didn’t even include the highest non-HOFer Kenny Lofton.
It’s also interesting to see Mike Trout – career derailed by injuries – behind only Mays, Cobb, Speaker, and Mantle.
baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_CF.shtml
Also Al Oliver
Dwight Evans was better than all of t hem.
Our hearts? Won me some sammiches from North Shore Nine?
It takes more than just one player to win a championship
Cutch brought excitement, fans and three consecutive playoff appearances to Pittsburgh
He won an MVP award, finished second in two other seasons, 4 silver slugger awards and a Gold Glove
He ranks 3rd all time in homers, behind Kiner and Stargell
He’s scored more than 1100 runs, over 400 doubles, 331 homers, 1200+ rbi and more than 1000 career walks
Better stats than any Pirate player over the last 25 years
@BobNutting:
The Pirates lack of titles during Andrew’s peak years were not his fault. The fault was with the cast of players management provided.
An outside shot, at best. He’s more qualified than some that are in there, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
His comparables are Chili Davis, Torii Hunter and Reuben Sierra, so maybe not…
He might make it into the HOF in 2050 by committee, if we still exist.
I hope Cutch goes all “Hunter Pence” with the Rangers this year.
Sad to see McCutchen go, but I understand it was something that had to be done.
I am glad he is getting a shot so we can see what another organization thinks of his remaining skill set. I don’t think he has much left in the tank and will have trouble making the team. Even if he does, I don’t think he will be much of a contributor. The Pirates handled his situation very poorly but I think they properly evaluated his capability.
He was signed to a minor league contract – that’s the answer.
Rough to see Cutch potentially have his last big-league games somewhere that isn’t Pittsburgh. The Rangers won’t even be at home during the local furry convention for him to pop off (iykyk).
Such a great guy I’ll even root for him in a division rival’s uniform.
I’m an Orioles fan and felt the same way when Ichiro signed with the Yankees in the twilight of his career.
Even in pinstripes, I just could not bring myself to root against him.
Cleveland fans feel that way about Josh Bell on the Twins this year </3
Joc Peterson is a joke
Maybe so, but Joc Pederson was a stud in pearls
I can’t believe as many teams need a right handed OF that he couldn’t find a better gig. Especially team like Cardinals who need one plus a veteran leader!
I mean a major league contract. No disrespect to Rangers and Skip
Harold Baines couldn’t hold a candle to the stats of Cutch yet he’s in the HOF
As a White Sox fan, I wholeheartedly agree. McCutchen won an MVP, he was a huge factor in them making the playoffs in his prime and he’s got the other counting stats like doubles that make him standout.
Harold Baines and Bill Mazoroski are two HOFers who have no business being in there. If they’re in all of the above deserve to be in.
I did not see this coming! Low-risk deal with much to gain and little to lose.
But honestly, I would’ve preferred him to stay in Pittsburgh for one last year.