JUNE 4: McCutchen suffered a sprain and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to manager Gabe Kapler (via Salisbury). He was on crutches after the game, Gelb tweets.
JUNE 3: Outfielder Andrew McCutchen departed after suffering an apparent left knee injury in the first inning of the Phillies’ game against the Padres on Monday, per reports from Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Matt Gelb of The Athletic and Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. McCutchen needed assistance getting off the field.
The Phillies replaced McCutchen with fellow veteran outfielder Jay Bruce, whom they acquired from the Mariners on Sunday. Philadelphia’s plan when it landed Bruce was to add some left-handed pop to its bench, but if McCutchen’s injury is serious, the former could take on a greater role than expected with his new team. Along with putting Bruce in the game in the wake of McCutchen’s exit, the Phillies shifted utilityman Sean Rodriguez from left to center.
Bruce, Rodriguez, Bryce Harper, Scott Kingery and Phil Gosselin represent the Phillies’ healthy outfield options currently in the majors, though they do have the experienced Nick Williams at the Triple-A level. Aside from Harper, however, the 32-year-old McCutchen is easily the Phillies’ most productive choice in the outfield.
After signing a three-year, $50MM contract with the Phillies during the offseason, McCutchen – a five-time All-Star – has gotten off to a .256/.378/.457 (124 wRC+) start with 10 home runs and 43 walks against 55 strikeouts with his new club. As one of the Phillies’ premier offensive players, he’s not someone the first-place team can afford to lose. Philly entered play Monday holding a one-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East.
realgone2
Jay Bruce cmon on down. You’re the next contestant……
mlb1225
Dang, that sucks. Hope it isn’t anything serious. Hope he gets well soon regardless.
jleve618
It didn’t look good.
chippahawk
That’s crazy timing..
hiflew
You have to wonder if the Phillies are employing a psychic in their front office with the timing of the Bruce deal.
DonB34
I don’t think it takes a psychic to see that Nick Williams stinks and they needed a better 4th outfielder / left handed pinch hitter if they are going to make a run at the post season.
axisofhonor25
I think he meant in terms of mccutchen getting injured
Cat Mando
I was just sitting down to a late dinner. I lost my appetite. Cutch has been having a much better year than most thought and has produced well out of the lead off spot
cpdpoet
….same boat. Just dropped my daughter off at her mom’s and stopped for 2 slices and a milkshake. Pizza is still in kitchen and milkshake is in freezer……The knee area could mean almost anything….
macn307
Man I really hope Cutch is not seriously injured. He is one of those players that the uniform does not matter, you cheer them on.
snotrocket
Well said.
spinach
Except when he’s not playing super well, or gets a decent contract..then everyone seems to call him a bum.
VonPurpleHayes
Can’t speak for other fan bases, but he is pretty loved in Philly and of course Pittsburgh.
He was off to a decent year too. Shame.
paddyo furnichuh
Cue CCR’s “Centerfield” for Kingery
paddyo furnichuh
Dates reference, I know
paddyo furnichuh
Dated* and incorrect, it was Fogerty solo
cpdpoet
Nope, good job. Growing up, my brother was in a CCR cover band. I still know the words to almost all their songs…
clepto
You had 2 slices of pizza, a milkshake, both not eaten, and you were in a CCR cover band….well, that makes my life complete.
Philliesfan4life
That injury did not look good, I really hope its not acl/or mcl related
Mendoza Line 215
As a Pirates fan I know that McCutcheon is a class act.
He was hurt only once that I recall.It was 2014 when Randall Delgado retaliated for a Frieri hit of Goldschmidt.Cutch had a broken bone in his back.
I hope for his sake and the Phillies’ sake that it is not a major injury.
Captain Dunsel
Haseley. Adam should be the first man to call.
slash78
Maybe the Phillies can take Pillar off the Giants’ hands.
DonB34
The worst part of this situation is how Ian Kinsler intentionally dropped a pop fly to 2nd in order to attempt to turn a double play. When is the last time you saw that? Little league? It goes from kind of a jerk defensive play to a possible serious injury. Hopefully Cutch just needs to ice it and it will be ok. He did tweak a knee earlier this season and was back starting the next day. He said back then it was something that goes out of place from time to time and just needs properly taken care of when it does. It’s too bad too, he has great numbers against Lauer and in San Diego. The game might be going better right now had he been in the line-up… perhaps not 8-2. Need his on base skills at the top in order to stay competitive the rest of the year.
leftcoaster
Kinsler made a very wise play with Segura stumbling out of the box and sauntering to first.
VonPurpleHayes
Agreed. It was a smart play. Segura fell down on the swing so didn’t run it out. Nothing wrong with what Kinsler did. Cutch was mad at himself for getting hurt. Segura was mad at himself for not getting out of the box. No one was mad at Kinsler…except me…deep down in my black heart.
Zach725
It happens in the MLB at least a couple times a year.
PhillyTheKid
Actually, it was one of the smartest plays you will ever see. Kinsler noticed Segura failed to get out of the box, after slipping down to a knee, so what he did you rarely ever see. IT WAS NOT A “jerk play,” as you suggest; and, yes, I am a die-hard PHILLIES fan, going on about 55 years.
The challenges for this team are not insurmountable, BUT Gabe had better start managing instead of just writing a lineup.
As an aside, irrespective of his surprising (and misleading) batting average, if Kingery continues to be our #6 hitter, WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
Go Phils!
spinach
Right it was just a smart veteran play..like guys should just give away bases..
DarkSide830
plays like that are no-win situations for the batting team. they’re impossible to get out of on the winning side, and you just have to hope they dont cause an injury like this.
fighterflea
Segura ‘owned’ his failure to run it out, after slipping, in a post-game interview. It’s “no-win” if you don’t bust it. Wouldn’t expect to see a repeat of this from Segura.
batty
Smart, quick thinking infielders do this when possible. There’s nothing “Little League”, “Jerky” or even the least bit wrong with what Kinsler did.
kingtopher
I’m so sick of Kinsler and want him off the Padres ASAP but that play was great.
Cat Mando
“FWIW, Andrew McCutchen did not seem worried about knee. Said he had ACL injury in high school and this was different, not the same pain. Said he had decent mobility. He did have a crutch, but was walking. MRI tomorrow will tell more.”
twitter.com/JSalisburyNBCS/status/1135782926317215…
sherlock_
Dang that’s ironic timing. Guess it’s a good thing they traded for Jay.