McCutchen to sign deal with Phillies
LAS VEGAS — All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a $50 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement, which includes a club option for 2022, is subject to a successful physical.
The 32-year-old McCutchen was an All-Star each season from 2011-15, topping .300 in batting average from 2012-14. He was the NL MVP in 2013.
McCutchen spent nine years with Pittsburgh before he was traded to San Francisco last winter. He was dealt to the New York Yankees on Aug. 31 and hit .255 with 20 homers and 65 RBIs in 155 games overall this year.
McCutchen has 223 homers, a .287 average and 790 RBIs in 10 major league seasons.
Philadelphia remains interested in Bryce Harper, the top free agent on the market, but has a surplus of outfielders, including Odubel Herrera, Nick Williams, Aaron Altherr and Roman Quinn.
Rhys Hoskins is moving from left field to first base after the team traded Carlos Santana to Seattle for infielder Jean Segura last week.
Herrera, a former All-Star, is a trade candidate. He struggled in the second half last season and finished with career lows in batting average (.255) and onbase percentage (.310).
Blue Jays release SS Tulowitzki
Troy Tulowitzki was released by the Toronto Blue Jays, who owe the oft-injured shortstop $38 million for the remaining two years of his contract.
Now 34, Tulowitzki has not played in the major leagues since July 2017. He was limited that year to 66 games because of a hamstring and right ankle injury. The ankle required surgery last spring, and he missed the entire season.
Tulowitzki was taken by Colorado with the seventh overall pick in the 2005 amateur draft and became a five-time All-Star. The Rockies agreed after the 2010 season to a $157.75 million, 10-year contract that added $132 million over seven seasons, then traded him in July 2015 to Toronto in a deal that brought shortstop Jose Reyes to Colorado.
While Tulowitzki helped the Blue Jays reach that year’s AL Championship Series, he slumped the next year and then was derailed by injuries.
He is owed $20 million for next year, $14 million for 2020 and a $4 million buyout of the 2021 team option.
Toronto, which announced the move Tuesday, will be paying Tulowitzki for many years: $5 million of his 2019 salary is deferred at 3 percent interest and is payable in 10 equal installments each Jan. 1 from 202534. In addition, the buyout is due in $2 million installments on July 1 in 2021 and 2022.
Odds and ends
Righthander Ivan Nova was acquired by the White Sox from the Pirates for minor league pitcher Yordi Rosario and $500,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation. … Oakland and catcher Chris Herrmann agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract.