SF Giants Trade Andrew McCutchen To Yankees For 2 Prospects
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS Sports) - The New York Yankees have acquired outfielder Andrew McCutchen from the San Francisco Giants before the Aug. 31 postseason eligibility deadline. The cost is two prospects, infielder Abiatal Avelino and pitcher Juan De Paula, per the teams:
Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the teams will split what remains on McCutchen's contract:
McCutchen cleared trade waivers earlier this month, meaning he could be traded to any team at any time. Had he been claimed, San Francisco would've only been able to trade him to the claiming team within 48 hours. The Giants have fallen out of the postseason race, and with McCutchen set to become a free agent after the season, trading him for prospects is a wise move.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have been without Aaron Judge for five weeks now due to a fractured wrist. He was hit by a pitch late last month and the team's initial timetable had him returning in three weeks. It is now week five and Judge has yet to resume swinging a bat. Furthermore, Giancarlo Stanton has been nursing a tight hamstring, relegating him to DH duty. Career infielder Neil Walker has played right field primarily in August.
McCutchen, 31, is hitting .255/.357/.415 (110 OPS+) with 15 home runs in 130 games this season. He is no longer the MVP-caliber producer he was a few years ago, but he remains an above-average hitter who will likely see his power numbers jump with a move from AT&T Park into Yankee Stadium. The Yankees also know they're getting a postseason-tested player who fits well into any clubhouse.
The Yankees are 84-50 and 8 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East. They are 4 1/2 games up on the Athletics for the top wild-card spot and nine games up on the Mariners for a wild-card spot in general.
As for the prospects, Avelino was ranked No. 23 in the Yankees system. He profiles as a bench player. De Paula, meanwhile, was ranked No. 26 in the system due to an average three-pitch arsenal.
