MLB free agency rumors: Yankees to re-sign Andrew McCutchen?

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman acquired outfielder Andrew McCutchen from the San Francisco Giants on August 31, 2018 (8/31/18). He’s now sharing playing time with Brett Gardner, with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks the everyday players in the outfield.

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When Yankees general manager Brian Cashman traded for San Francisco Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen on August 31st, the former National League MVP was seen as a short-term rental and a stopgap solution for an injury-riddled outfielder.

However with Aaron Judge back in the lineup, McCutchen is now relegated to platoon status, sharing playing time with Brett Gardner.

After this season, McCutchen will become a free agent.

The Yankees seem stacked in the outfield for 2019 with Aaron Hicks, Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Clint Frazier at the top of the list.

Gardner could return too. The Yankees can exercise his $12.5-million team option for 2019 or let him go via a $2 million buyout.

However the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reports McCutchen is still in the mix for 2019:

If the Yankees can cut a reasonable deal, they’d like to have Andrew McCutchen, who will be a free agent, back next season. The Yankees like him on the field and in the clubhouse. The Yankees could part ways with left fielder Brett Gardner, who has been reduced to a bench role and whose $12.5 million club option will likely be bought out for $2 million. And yes, Jacoby Ellsbury could return in 2019.

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Here are the details of the McCutchen trade with the Giants, per Yankees PR:

The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired OF Andrew McCutchen along with cash considerations from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for INF Abiatal Avelino and RHP Juan De Paula.

McCutchen, 31, hit .255/.357/.415 (123-for-482) with 65R, 28 doubles, 2 triples, 15HR, 55RBI, 73BB and 13SB in 130 games in his first season with the Giants. His 73 walks are tied for seventh-most in the National League. He played 128 games (127 starts) in right field, committing just 2E in 255TC (.992).

The Fort Meade, Fla., native played his first nine Major League seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2009-17), making five NL All-Star Teams (2011-15) and winning the 2013 National League Most Valuable Player Award and 2015 Roberto Clemente Award. He was traded by Pittsburgh with cash considerations to the Giants in exchange for RHP Kyle Crick, OF Bryan Reynolds and international bonus pool money on January 15, 2018. He is under contract through the 2018 season. 

In 1,476 games over 10 Major League seasons (2009-18), the right-handed hitter is batting .288/.377/.481 (1,586-for-5,515) with 879R, 320 doubles, 46 triples, 218HR, 780RBI, 758BB and 184SB. Since 2009, he ranks second among Major League hitters in runs scored and times on base (2,412), and fifth in hits and walks.

McCutchen was originally selected by the Pirates in the first round (11th overall) in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.

Avelino, 23, combined with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Trenton to hit .287 (133-for-464) with 65R, 13 doubles, 8 triples, 15HR and 66RBI in 123 games this season. He was originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on December 26, 2011.

De Paula, 20, went 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA (47.1IP, 9ER) and 46K in 10 games (nine starts) with short-season Single-A Staten Island this season. He was acquired by the Yankees with RHP Jio Orozco from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for OF Ben Gamel on August 31, 2016.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.