1:40 PM: If McCutchen makes the team, his base salary per grant would be $1.25 million.
11:37 AM: According to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports, McCutchen’s deal could be worth up to around $2.5 million if he makes the roster and fulfills all of his incentives. Obviously, this means his base salary on the deal will be less than $2.5 million.
9:03 AM: Rangers bring in veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that he was invited to big league camp and signed to a minor league contract. Aegis Sports customer’s transaction is still awaiting physical examination.
The 39-year-old McCutchen is a few years removed from his prime, but he still posted a .239/.333/.367 slash (95 wRC+) last year in what appears to be his final season with the Pirates. His .267/.353/.389 output against left-handed pitchers was slightly above average, and as recently as 2023, he held off left-handed pitchers at an even higher .261/.383/.410 clip.
Over the past three years, McCutchen suited up as a backup for his original club in Pittsburgh, where he emerged as a star as a first-round pick and eventually earned National League MVP honors. The hope for both McCutchen and the Pirates was for him to return to play the final season where it all began and lead a more competitive Bucs club back to the playoffs in the twilight of his career.
That storybook ending never came to fruition. Pittsburgh has struggled in each of the past three seasons, finishing below .500 each year. The Bucs fired coach Derek Shelton last May and took a more urgent, aggressive approach to bolstering their offense this winter. Pittsburgh Acquisition Brandon Rowe Through trades and signed free agents Ryan O’Hearn and Marcel Ozuna. They set bigger goals throughout the winter, e.g. Kyle Schwarber, Josh Naylor, Kazuma Okamoto, Eugenio Suarez). All of these pursuits have raised doubts about whether there’s room for one more more nostalgic and sentimental reunion with McCutchen. The signing of Ozuna last month all but confirmed that the book is closed on his three-year reunion with McCutchen.
McCutchen now heads to the Rangers for a bench spot. His right-handed bat makes him a natural platoon complement alongside the designated hitter. Jak Pederson. Cutch could also see some time in the outfield corners when Texas faces left-handed starting pitchers. Wyatt Langford Move to center field instead of left-handed swing. Evan CarterHe has recorded just five hits in 68 career plate appearances against left-handers.
It makes little sense to cite McCutchen’s .289/.387/.514 slash against left-handers. Because a lot of that was influenced by his other-worldly production during his MVP prime. But even during the latter three seasons of his return to PNC Park, McCutchen hit .244/.353/.392 in 435 plate appearances. That kind of production is more solid than meets the eye, but it would still be an upgrade over the terrible .225/.290/.363 batting line the Rangers showed against left-handed pitching in 2025.
