The Mets have shown interest in veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (Twitter link). New York joins the Rays and Dodgers as teams known to have checked in regarding the former MVP this offseason.
McCutchen is one of the better right-handed hitting outfielders remaining in free agency. At age 36, he’s no longer the dynamic superstar he was at his peak. Yet the five-time All-Star still has a patient plate approach and decent power. McCutchen connected on 17 home runs while drawing walks in 9.8% of his 580 plate appearances with the Brewers last season. He made hard contact on 40% of his batted balls, around four points higher than the league average.
Overall, his .237/.316/.384 line was right around league average. McCutchen has posted approximately average offensive numbers three years running, although the shape of his production was different last year than in previous seasons. From 2020-21 as a member of the Phillies, he stumbled to a .204/.297/.364 line against right-handed pitching but tattooed southpaws at a .290/.402/.603 clip. His splits were fairly even in 2022. McCutchen improved to .237/.316/.384 against same-handed arms but dropped back to .221/.303/.434 when holding the platoon advantage.
McCutchen is essentially limited to the corner outfield or designated hitter at this stage of his career. He started a pair of games in center last season but that marked his first action up the middle since 2019. He’s played primarily left field of late. Public metrics weren’t especially found of his glovework in Philadelphia, but Defensive Runs Saved credited him as five runs better than the average left fielder over 268 1/3 innings there last season. Milwaukee gave him more run at designated hitter but he’s capable of logging at least part-time corner outfield work.
It’s that role for which the Mets are ostensibly eyeing him. New York has a quality starting trio of Mark Canha, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte. Nimmo has had a number of injured list stints throughout his career, while both Canha and Marte are into their mid-30’s. Khalil Lee, coming off a .211/.326/.366 showing in Triple-A, is the only other natural outfielder on the 40-man roster. Darin Ruf can also factor into the corner outfield but had a tough second half after being acquired from the Giants. There’s appeal for New York in adding a quality player to the bench. A center field-capable player might be preferable, but Marte at least gives New York some cover as insurance behind Nimmo if the Mets were to add a corner-only bat.
It’s a shame the Pirates don’t bring him home.
I wish he retire with them.
why do ppl keep saying this as if playing for the pirates would be an enjoyable experience
it’d be a shame if he ever has to return to the pirates, is how that should be worded
No, your not taking it from my POV I’m-saying he should sign cheap for 1 year and retire after, not like actually making a good impact for the team.
The real shame is that the owner of the Pirates is too cheap to bring Cutch back for one more season.
As a Pirates fan myself, I have no interest in bringing back a player at the end of his career that is a shadow of his former self. Have seen too many similar guys brought in here that flamed out shortly after arriving.
The Pirates fielded the second-youngest team in baseball last year. When McCutchen was with the Yankees, he was a conspicuously great teammate. It certainly couldn’t hurt the Pirates to have his veteran presence in the clubhouse.
The have Hill, Velasquez, Santana, and Choi on the roster already. They increase the average age and all add quality veteran presence.
Agree with you but those close to Cutch have said he’s looking to hook on with a contender. He’d be a good addition and likely one of their best players, even though his skills have declined
Oh by the way, which one’s Fink?
Have a cigar.
Agreed. Always love when guys go home for their last season.
cutch is from Florida.. pirates did nothing but rip him off during his prime
But he actually made his home here, Goku. Unlike so many players these days, he and his wife lived here year round (I don’t know if this is still true). He did a great deal of charitable work here. Showed up at Pittsburgh events.
In this city at least, that counted for something and like other hometown guy Neil Walker, well, you know the rest
But that’s history.
Again, word is he wishes to be with a contender. Who can blame him?
Why wouldn’t they?
would be cool to see him re-united with Marte
Clutchen McCutchen has a little left in the tank.
Cutch is a better fit in St. Louis in a platoon with Burleson at DH…
I was thinking the cards should throw voit a bone as a dh platoon mate. McCutchen wouldn’t be bad either
Yepez probably serves as the RH side of a DH platoon with Burleson
Yepez can fill in at all four corner positions. Cutch only plays the two corner outfield spots, but mostly left. Defensively in the outfield, they’re probably a wash, but if Yepez platoons with Nootbar in right, it leaves open the opportunity to move him to a different position during a game if necessary. Plus the Cards lost two strong veteran personalities in Pujols and Molina, so Cutch could come in and bring a value of a strong, yet fun-loving veteran presence to help fill that void without stepping on the toes of Goldschmidt and Arenado as the new team leaders. Cutch is a really good fit on the Cardinals in my opinion…
Same age as Ruf and a better hitter. So grab him and throw Ruf to the curb
He’s not much of a hitter anymore, but his clubhouse presence is a big factor. There’s no player in the game easier to root for.
Last season was his first with a below league average OPS+…which was only 1% below league average. He has been consistently a positive with the bat. As a platoon corner OF/DH he is a great piece for a winning team
Right, and I would expect that decline to continue as he’s in the twilight of his career.
Old man whose time is gone taking the place of the next generation? Some guys need to be told to stay home.
Twenty-seven qualified players had a lower wRC+ than McCutchen and 10 had a lower fWAR. Maybe they should stay home before he does.
Playing time will likely be a factor. Do the Mets see McCutchen as the regular in LF (which makes Canha expendable) or as the RH side of a DH platoon with Vogelbach (which then probably leads to jettisoning Ruf).
A team like the Rays can offer regular AB’s between the OF/DH as could the Rangers. The Dodgers don’t have a “starting” LF so lots of AB’s to be had there as well. It seems like the Mets are just buying players and hoping to figure out how they fit later
which then probably leads to jettisoning Ruf
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Trade him back to the SFG for a lottery ticket, while picking up half the salary. A fitting end to a fairly bad trade.
Braves should bring him in to play LF/DH he probably would be better than Ozuna and give good defense.
Rather have Adam Duvall as a depth piece.
Cutch’s defense isn’t what I’d call good anymore. Range and arm both subpar.
Ozuna is by far the cream of that crop
Braves have 7 OFs on the 40 man roster. Already crowded. Harris in CF and Acuna in RF. 5 players fighting for the LF role…
Wish the cubs would sign him to round out our roster. He def has something left. I used to watch him play for the Indianapolis Indians. Always fun to watch.
I know reliever probably should be priority… and fifth starter is a mess.. but I don’t think jays give up on kikuchi… and I think they are confident in the pen they have now.. mccutchen would be perfect final piece\ fourth outfielder. Right now jays have nobody other than the three starters (other than merrifield who should be second starter… and biggio who is not enough).
Despite having a glut of outfielders, the Twins could use him as their 4th OF. Right-handed bat. They have all lefties.
Plus the Twins like to sign guys the Mets are interested in.
I loved Andrew McCutchen during his time in Philadelphia, and the 2019 knee injury/surgery was a tough break after only 59 games in a Phillies uniform. That said, I hate to see him get that Mets stank on him after such a stellar career.
I’m not too sure the Mets need another OF. McNeil is capable of playing corner OF and they can always try to develop Baty there as well. Or if they do keep Baty on the MLB team and want to play him at 3B, Escobar would slide to 2B and McNeil would push Canha to the bench/4th OF.
Agreed. I think it’s important to let some of the prospects play and develop. The easy thing to say is the Mets need a power bat, but really they just need that for the playoffs and can pick it up at the deadline. This offense helped them to 101 wins last year.
Acquisitions now cost money, which Uncle Steve has aplenty. Acquisitions made mid-season cost talent, which the organization is trying to hold onto. If they feel the need to add a bat, would rather it be done now.
@NMK 2 Good point, but if that young talent isn’t getting playing time because they’re blocked by win-now talent, then you should give them up.
Please don’t bring him in Mets. Washed up superstar who doesn’t even like NY. Get someone younger with some controllability. Maybe pull off a trade for Joc Pederson
Pederson isn’t young (30 years old), has no control beyond this season, and is a low probability to even get traded considering the Giants offered him a QO that he accepted.
Doesn’t like NY? Played good ball for the Yanks.
@Von, he wanted to remain a Yankee, loved his brief time there by all reports, so I don’t believe he has a problem with NY.
Yea exactly. It’s why I was confused by LFGMets’ statement.
a washed up player wouldn’t have hit 17 homers last year. Cutch is not the same player he was when he played for the Pirates but is still has a great clubhouse presence and never said he hated NY.
But if you’re looking for someone that does, look no further
a washed up player wouldn’t have hit 17 homers last year.
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Way too many fans have the shiny object syndrome. They only recognize big names, and everyone else is washed up. Mets fans are different since the Mets are trying to buy every available player.
But for everyone else, the best GMs are the ones that can obtain those quality #20-26 guys on the cheap.
As a RS fan, I’d be pretty happy to bring him in at $3M or thereabouts.
McCutchen was credited with 4 Defensive Runs Saved and 0 Outs Above Average in 2022. Pederson was taxed with -15 Defensive Runs Saved and -11 Outs Above Average. Are you looking for a DH, Mets fan?
@Fink Ployed I’ll take Pederson’s offense and bad defense over Cutch’s below average production and average defense. It worked for the Phillys with Schwarber and Castellanos, why can’t it work for the Mets?
Defense is overatted anyway. Pederson plays left field anyway
Pederson is a more productive hitter, but is that what the Mets need — a DH?
As for defense being overrated, that’s an arguable claim. Like Casey Stengel said: “I don’t like them fellas who drive in two runs and let in three.”
I’ll readily concede the dubiousness of defensive metrics, which commonly don’t agree. But that’s a different issue. I think that defense, regardless of how it’s measured, is very important. Keeping opponents from scoring is half the game, no?
I do agree with you that a defensively inferior player with a good bat can be valuable, and possibly more so than a good defender with a mediocre bat.
Citifield has a much bigger OF than Citizen’s Bank Park.
Citi Field used to be even bigger, but they brought in the fences:
cbssports.com/mlb/news/report-mets-bringing-in-the…
And they’re bringing them in again before the 2023 season:
sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/11/11/…..
He’d have been the best hitter on last years Tigers, so if you have Cohen money it’s a great pick up for a loaded team.
Cincinnati looking at him or Duvall?
They should but I doubt it. Bob has the kid GM sitting on his hands.
If he was going to think of the Reds, he might as well retire as a Pirate. But word is that he wants to go with a contender. Shame. Even though he’s not what he once was, at 36 he’d still be an upgrade over most candidates for outfield spots here in Pittsburgh
There’s way better options for reds out there than ol man mccutchen and Duvall.
Such as?
Prediction: Dodgers offer 1 year 1 million, Yanks offer 2, Rangers offer 3, and the Red Sox offer 10… he signs with the Dodgers. Red Sox, you may ask? They are just really unlucky.
So as not to move people into ill advised positions, he’d make a perfect 4th outfielder and/or right handed DH with Volgelbach. Also his clubhouse presence would be a huge plus.
People are too quick to put McNeil in the outfield. I know he’s competent there, but that should be a contingency, not a plan. Maybe if someone is out long term, he goes to the OF, otherwise let him play second full time and hopefully stay healthy.
For the reasons to you stated McCutchen is a good fit. As long as the price is right, he would be a good one year signing. I think Alvarez and Baty should start at AAA and force the Mets to call them up by dominating. If that’s the case McCutchen can be pushed aside.
He is actually a remarkable man. He is from a very poor city not far from me in Florida and he has invested a ton of money and time in to the schools and sports programs all over the state. Sadly a lot of people don’t hear much about this.
Greatest dude in the game IMO.
Fortunately there are some people like him who don’t do it for the accolades. I like rooting for guys like him to succeed.
Really bad outfielder at this point. Not worth more than $4-5M
How did a really bad outfielder get credited with 5 Defensive Runs Saved in only 434.1 innings in the outfield?
-0.4 dWAR at BR -11.3 Defensive rating at FG.
I don’t know what Fangraphs stats you’re looking at:
fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=of&stats=fld&#…
I don’t think he’s bad, but even with his average defense, I wouldn’t go above $4M guaranteed.
Mets want everyone don’t they? No stone is left uncovered
Funny thing is that the Phils could now use the OF depth after trading Vierling. Guthrie is intriguing, but still a big unknown.
No doubt that the bat is slower, and the legs are not what they were especially after the ACL. The defense is now below par even in the corners, and the bat is league average with some platoon upside on the short side. All that being said, I love the guy and would be thrilled to have him back for one more run. Such a great clubhouse fit in Philly and he will have a few more moments that remind us of who he was as a player.
2/3 of a Pirates outfield reunion with Marte.