McCutchen joins crowded Phillies outfield picture

Andrew McCutchen moving into Philadelphia’s outfield, more talk about a megadeal involving Noah Syndergaard and J.T. Realmuto and veteran pitcher Ivan Nova on the go.

The winter meetings picked up a bit Tuesday in Las Vegas, but any big deals for the likes of Corey Kluber, Manny Machado and Bryce Harper remained on deck.

There were reports the Baltimore Orioles, finally, were close to hiring a manager in Chicago Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde. But the O’s said those stories were premature and they wouldn’t make a decision before leaving Las Vegas.

“We don’t have a manager,” newly hired general manager Mike Elias said.

The World Series champion Red Sox made a move, too — with their lineup. AL MVP Mookie Betts will shift out of the leadoff spot and bat behind Andrew Benintendi, manager Alex Cora said.

“I think we’re going to maximize Mookie in a different spot. Flip-flop them, Beni leading off and Mookie hitting second. Talked to him, it makes sense,” Cora said.

“And I know Beni’s OK with it. But if you play 162 games, you’re going to come up 162 at-bats with nobody on,” said. “And last year, what I wanted from him in the leadoff spot, we accomplished. It’s a different season and we have to make adjustments, and that’s where we’re going to go.”

Betts led the majors in batting (.346) and slugging percentage (.640) and was second in on-base average (.438) for the 108-win Red Sox. He also had 84 extra-base hits, including 32 home runs.

Speculation continued to swirl about a huge swap that would include the Yankees and Mets. The New York teams don’t usually do business directly, but this trade would enlist a third team — the Miami Marlins and Realmuto, their star catcher.

“I’d like to think that we’re very open-minded and aggressive and talk to everybody about what’s available in the marketplace. And so it doesn’t matter really for most part what the team is. I’ll explore every opportunity that might be available,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said.

McCutchen, meanwhile, and the Phillies agreed to a $50 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement, which includes a club option for 2022, is subject to a successful physical.

The 32-year-old was the NL MVP in 2013, highlighting his long run in Pittsburgh. He split last season with San Francisco and the Yankees, hitting a combined .255 with 20 homers and 65 RBIs.

McCutchen was an AllStar each season from 201115, topping .300 from 201214. McCutchen played nine years with Pittsburgh before he was traded to the Giants last winter. He was dealt to the New York Yankees on Aug. 31.

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. TULOWITZKI RELEASED >> Troy Tulowitzki has been released by the Toronto Blue Jays, who owe the oftinjured shortstop $38 million for the remaining two years of his contract.

Tulowitzki, 34, has not played in the major leagues since July 2017. The Sunnyvale native 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 No. 7 pick in the 2005 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 for shortstop Jose Reyes.

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.

FORMER GAEL WISDOM TRADED >> The Texas Rangers acquired third baseman Patrick Wisdom from the Cardinals for utilityman Drew Robinson,

Wisdom, 27, was a firstround pick of the Cardinals in 2012 out of Saint Mary’s. He made his big league debut last August and hit. 260 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 32 games and figures to get a crack at the Rangers’ starting third base job vacated by the retirement of Adrian Beltre. NEW JOB FOR MCCARTHY >> Former pitcher Brandon McCarthy has been hired by the Texas Rangers as special assistant to the general manager.

McCarthy, who pitched for the A’s among seven major league teams, ended his 14-year career by going 6-3 in 15 starts for Atlanta last season. He pitched three years for Texas early in his career.

The Rangers say McCarthy, 35, will be involved in all aspects of pitching development at the major and minor league level. ESPN’S MENDOZA SIGNS EXTENSION >> Jessica Mendoza signed a multiyear extension with ESPN to remain part of the “Sunday Night Baseball” announcer’s booth and make more studio appearances.

In 2015, Mendoza became the first female analyst for a nationally televised MLB game. She did her first Sunday night game on Aug. 30, 2015.

Mendoza, who has been with the network since 2007, has already been a fixture on “Baseball Tonight” for many seasons but the new agreement means she will appear more regularly on “SportsCenter” and “Get Up!”

Mendoza’s main assignment will remain “Sunday Night Baseball.” This will be her fourth full season. BALLPARK DELAY >> Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg says the team’s planned ballpark for Tampa’s Ybor City can’t be finalized by this month’s deadline and he will reopen the site search, delaying any opening until at least 2024.

The team has played since its first season in 1998 at what is now called Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where its lease ends in 2027. The St. Petersburg City Council voted in early 2016 to give the Rays through December 2018 to search throughout the Tampa Bay area, and the Rays unveiled a ballpark design for Ybor City in July.

Sternberg says “while momentum and progress are real, we’re not close at all to a workable framework.” He says he remains committed to keeping the team in the area.

NOVA TO WHITE SOX >> Righthander Ivan Nova has been acquired by the Chicago White Sox from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league right-hander Yordi Rosario and $500,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation.

Nova, a 31-year-old righthander, was 9-9 with a 4.19 ERA in 29 starts this season, striking out 114 in 161 innings. He is 78-64 with a 4.26 ERA in nine seasons.