Yankees trade for former MVP Andrew McCutchen

Seeking some insurance for Aaron Judge’s injury, the Yankees have agreed to trade for Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen. 

With star slugger Aaron Judge’s recovery from a chipped fracture in his right wrist moving slowly along, the Bombers felt the need to buy some insurance. A few intriguing options were on the market but, on August 31, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman finalized a trade for Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen.

A few weeks ago, I wrote that adding McCutchen made a lot of sense for Aaron Boone’s club. By the time I woke up this morning, I had assumed that the Yanks were planning on staying pat. So, it was a pleasant surprise to see that Cashman agreed to send some minor leaguers to the Giants for a former MVP.

According to ESPN, the Giants will get Abiatal Avelino and another prospect in exchange for McCutchen. This trade isn’t on par with the Astros’ acquisition of ace Justin Verlander last year but, at the very least, there are some similarities.

McCutchen, like Verlander, had been the face of his franchise for several years. In this case, that franchise, the Pirates, shipped out McCutchen at the onset of an offseason rebuilding process.

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Verlander, like the star outfielder, is a former MVP winner and a respected veteran. There are some differences here, though.

Many observers thought Verlander was washed up before a mid-season resurgence in his final year with Detroit. (That revitalization has continued in the pitcher’s time with the Astros.) McCutchen is seen, by some, as a declining player and the stats back it up. The former MVP is batting .255 for the year and a mediocre .238 since the All-Star break.

There is at least one reason fans can feel hopeful, though. McCutchen is batting .279 in the last two weeks, with a solid .316 batting average in the last seven days. Maybe the former star is turning things around after all.

Dreaming of the possibilities here is easy. Maybe “Cutch” needs another change of scenery to add some life to his bat. Perhaps the outfielder will be a crucial bench player, or even starter, down the stretch. Heck, maybe McCutchen will hit a game-winning home run in a pivotal playoff game. But let’s pump the breaks.

Fans should be happy that the Yankees landed McCutchen. However, we should also temper our expectations for a player that seems to be years past his prime. The Yankees don’t necessarily need McCutchen; they have the underrated Aaron Hicks, star slugger Giancarlo Stanton and fan favorite Brett Gardner manning the outfield spots.

I’m sure fans would appreciate anything the Yankees gain from McCutchen’s time in pinstripes at this point. With this low-risk move, the Yankees don’t stand to lose much from taking a flyer on a former MVP winner that may (or may not) be turning things around.