2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen had a disappointing season for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016. Because of this, talks regarding trading the center fielder have sparked up.
From 2011 to 2015, Andrew McCutchen was one of baseball’s most decorated talents. McCutchen was an All-Star in all five of these seasons, and finished no lower than fifth in MVP voting from 2012-2015. The Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder posted three consecutive seasons batting over .300, hitting at least 21 home runs and 84 runs batted in.
McCutchen’s blend of natural hitting ability along with speed and tremendous fielding made him one of the most valuable players in all of baseball. Because of this, the Pirates signed McCutchen to a six-year, $51.5 contract in 2012. With only two years left on that deal, Pittsburgh may be looking to cash out on the former MVP while they can.
While McCutchen did have a down year, I don’t believe that is a testament to his ability. McCutchen still accounted for 81 runs, hit 24 home runs, and drove in 79 runs. Although his average was a career low, that does not take away from his natural ability to hit baseballs. In fact, he only struck out eleven more times than he did in his MVP season. The biggest decrease seems to be his walk to strikeout ratio, dipping from a consistent .70 or higher to a .48. This means for every strikeout McCutchen is drawing 26 percent fewer walks. With guided patience and focus, McCutchen can easily turn this around.
Also, take into consideration that next season McCutchen will have a serious desire to bounce back and prove the critics wrong. We’ve seen great players have disappointing seasons only to cement themselves as great the year following. With McCutchen’s natural ability, this should be no surprise to baseball fans.
Despite all this, the Pittsburgh Pirates may be looking to get younger. With only two years left and a very slim chance to make a World Series run, it may be best to say their farewells to McCutchen and bring in talent for the future. This brings up the question – who are potential trade partners to acquire Andrew McCutchen?