WEST COAST CUTCH
Kendrick reaches deal with Nationals
The Pirates trade outfielder and face of their franchise Andrew McCutchen to the Giants.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants acquired outfielder Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday for right-hander Kyle Crick, minor league outfielder Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 in international signing bonus allocation.
Pittsburgh also sent $2.5 million to the Giants to cover part of McCutchen’s $14.75 million salary.
The 31-year-old McCutchen, a former NL MVP and long the face of the Pirates’ franchise, became the second star jettisoned by Pittsburgh in three days. Ace Gerrit Cole was traded to Houston on Saturday.
“Pittsburgh.My Home.My Fans.My City,” McCutchen tweeted. “You will 4ever be in my heart.”
McCutchen added: “Now… I’m a Giant!”
Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said the trade was “one of the most emotionally agonizing decisions that we have had to make in my tenure.”
“Andrew helped create so many special memories both on and off the field for me, our organization and our fans. He did so while always carrying himself with humility, dignity and grace,” he said.
Pittsburgh ended a postseason drought in 2013 and made three straight playoff appearances before falling to 78-83 in 2016 and 75-87 last year.
“Making the right decision for the Pirates organization is at times difficult and, on rare occasions, painful,” Pirates president Frank Coonelly said. “No player was more disappointed than Andrew that we did not break through and win a World Series championship for the city of Pittsburgh.”
Earlier in the offseason, the Giants acquired third baseman Evan Longoria from Tampa Bay.
McCutchen, the 2013 NL MVP, takes over in center from Denard Span, who was traded to the Rays in the Longoria deal. San Francisco wanted more production and steady defense from the center field position after a last-place season in the NL West.
The durable McCutchen has played at least 153 games in each of the past three seasons for the Pirates, batting .279 with 28 home runs and 88 RBIs in 156 games in 2017. But he has not been an All-Star since 2015, when he was selected for the fifth straight season.
McCutchen is entering the final season of a six-year, $51.5 million contract he signed in March, 2012, a deal that turned into a bargain as he became a star and powered Pittsburgh’s turnaround.
Pittsburgh never made it past the division series and the club has fallen well back of St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs in the
competitive NL Central the last two seasons. The Pirates began an overhaul when they traded Cole to Houston on Saturday for pitchers Joe Musgrove and Michael Feliz, third baseman Colin Moran and outfielder Jason Martin.
“Watching Andrew patrol center field with grace, fly around the bases, drive the ball all around the ballpark, celebrate with his teammates or interact with his family, friends or fans has created lifelong memories,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.
NATIONALS: The Nationals have agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract with outfielder Howie Kendrick.
Kendrick, 34, hit .293 with seven home runs and RBIs in 52 games with Washington after he was acquired from Philadelphia.
TWINS: Right-handed reliever Addison Reed and Minnesota have finalized a $16.75 million, two-year contract.
… Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP and Minnesota first baseman whose career was derailed by concussion symptoms, is retiring after 1,603 hits and 247 home runs in 14 major league seasons.
BLUE JAYS: The Blue Jays will extend the protective netting at Rogers Centre to the outfield end of each dugout this season and increase the height of netting behind home plate by approximately 10 feet to 28 feet.