McCutchen is an All-Star again
Andrew McCutchen’s five-year streak of getting invited to the All-Star Game ended in 2016, when most of his offensive stats plummeted, his on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) sinking to a career-low .766. He responded with a solid season last year, pairing a .849 OPS with 28 home runs, which wasn’t good enough to earn him a berth in the Midsummer Classic.
Why believe he can again elevate his game at 31?
Several peripheral factors point in that direction.
Let’s note right off the bat that McCutchen is entering his final season before free agency, a status that tends to bump up performance for many players. But more than that, for the first time in years he finds himself as just another cog in the machinery, not the central engine on which opponents might focus their game plan.
By acquiring McCutchen and Evan Longoria, the Giants bolstered a flawed lineup and provided protection for Buster Posey, who had a .861 OPS but only 12 homers and 67 RBI. With Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford likely to bounce back from down seasons, the Giants should have a much more productive offense, one that doesn’t rely on just a couple of guys.
Nor is McCutchen likely to be the constant target of media attention, not with the likes of Posey, Longoria and Madison Bumgarner (once he’s back after breaking a bone in his pitching hand) around. He can concentrate on playing his game, and it will be as a right fielder, not as a center fielder, which might preserve his legs.
McCutchen recognizes he’ll probably lose some home runs to the vast rightcenter confines of AT&T Park, but that area also yields lots of triples, so McCutchen has a decent chance to top his career high of nine. And he’ll be playing in front of full houses in a cool climate that helps players stay fresh.
McCutchen no longer has to carry a franchise, just be his usual self and regain his standing among the best.
— Jorge L. Ortiz