Hurdle benches McCutchen after slump reaches 0 for 15
ATLANTA— This is rock bottom for Andrew McCutchen. The center fielder was summoned into manager Clint Hurdle’s office at SunTrust Park early Wednesday morning after the Atlanta Braves walked off with a 6-5 win, a game in whichMcCutchen went 0 for 5, grounded into two double plays and stranded seven. His batting average crashed into the Mendoza line, at .200.
In his office, Hurdle informed McCutchen, mired in an 0-for-15 slump, he would be left out of the lineup Wednesday night against the Braves. It seemed as good a time as any. In August 2016, Hurdle benched McCutchen for a three-game series in Atlanta, and his offense was betterthe rest of the way.
But this is May. McCutchen, a nine-year veteran, has never started so poorly. He has not before batted.200 or below this deep into the season. His .630 onbase-plus-slugging percentage is 181 points worse than his previous low at the 45game mark of a season. The Pirates opted not to trade McCutchen this offseason, and now they are left wondering what he has in the tank. “It’s hard for Andrew right now,” Hurdle said, “so we have to find a way to help him. McCutchen’s batting average has hovered between .225and .200 since early May. There are others regulars in that range and lower — Edwin Encarnacion (.215), Dexter Fowler (.212), Jose Reyes (.205), Kyle Schwarber (.186) — and a few making more than McCutchen and sitting under the Mendoza line: J.J. Hardy (.199), Alex Gordon (.175)and Curtis Granderson (.166). For the former National League MVP McCutchen to hold the 10th-lowest batting average among players with at least 150 plate appearances, however, is mystifying. McCutchen is not oblivious to the issues, but he said he is trying not to press or let the prolonged slump eat at him.
“I lay my head down at night, and I sleep pretty good,” he said. “Many people would like to think I’m beating myself up. I’m not. I know some people may feel I should be. But there’s a lot of other things in the world that matter. I just try and put things in perspective every single night.”
McCutchen’s offensive output conjures reminders of last season, when he had a .241 average and .719 OPS at the end of July, entirely pedestrian numbers from one of baseball’s best hitters. The difference this time is McCutchen believes he has answers for what has hauntedhim.
“It’s a lot better [than 2016]. I can say that,” McCutchen said. “Even though I’m .200 right now, at least I know what it is. I know what I’m doing [wrong]. Last year, I had no clue.”
Recovery road
Gregory Polanco (hamstring), eligible to return from the 10-day disabled list Thursday, ran the bases Wednesday at SunTrust Park and tested well, according to head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk. The Pirates have not revealed whether Polanco will go on a rehabilitation assignment.
Right-hander Jameson Taillon, recovering from surgery for testicular cancer, will throw a bullpen session Thursday as the Pirates gradually increase his workload in a regular throwing program.
Left-hander Antonio Bastardo (quad) threw an inning Tuesday at extended spring training and is likely to go on a rehab assignment in the “near future,” Tomczyk said. Right-hander Josh Lindblom threw in the bullpen Wednesday and is responding better than expected,per Tomczyk.