Brewers Bolster Offense By Adding Former MVP Andrew McCutchen

With a majority of starting jobs on his roster spoken for, David Stearns didn’t feel the need to make a big splash as the Milwaukee Brewers finally opened Spring Training but the team’s President of Baseball Operations wasn’t done looking for ways to improve his team.

The addition of the universal designated hitter in the new collective bargaining agreement provided a perfect avenue to do just that and to fill the role, Stearns thinks he found a perfect candidate in Andrew McCutchen.

“Andrew’s resume speaks for itself,” Stearns said Wednesday, after the team officially announced the deal, which according to various reports is for one year and $8.5 million. “This is a player who’s been one of the premier players in the game. He has won an MVP, multiple all-star games and in his prime had the ability to impact the game on both sides of the field in a variety of different ways.

“To bring in this type of presence, to bring this type of veteran experience to our group in addition to what we think he can provide us offensively, is a benefit to our club. We’re happy to have him here in camp. I think he’s excited to be here. And we’re looking forward to getting him going.”

McCutchen, 35, will serve primarily as Milwaukee’s DH — at least to start the season.

A .280 hitter with 203 home runs, 933 RBIs and .849 OPS in 13 big league seasons, McCutchen hit 24 home runs and had a .778 OPS for the Phillies last season. Though he batted just .222 overall in 144 games, he still finished with a .334 on-base percentage and was particularly good against left-handed pitching, slashing .293/.405/.622 with 15 home runs, 32 RBIs and a 1.027 OPS in 195 plate appearances.

Those numbers made him an attractive candidate to bolster an offense that ranked second-to-last in the National League with a .233 average and 11th among NL teams in slugging (.396) and OPS (.713).

“It’s a big add for us,” Manager Craig Counsell said. “You always get better adding a person like that. A bat is something David set out to add and we feel like we’ve added someone who’s obviously been an impact bat for some time.”

McCutchen was signed primarily to serve as Milwaukee’s DH but will almost certainly see some time at both corner outfield spots, allowing Counsell to provide a respite for left fielder Christian Yelich or right fielder Hunter Renfroe. Counsell said he’s also open to occasionally using McCutchen in center, where he was a Gold Glove Award winner for the Pirates in 2012.

Regardless of where or how he’s used, McCutchen is just happy to be joining a team where’s not only wanted but also has a chance to advance to the World Series for the first time in his career.

“It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to come here,” said McCutchen who’s been to the postseason three times in his career (with Pittsburgh in 2013, ‘14 and ‘15 and the Yankees in 2018) but has never made it past the divisional round. “Understanding this team, what it has and what it’s done in previous years. It’s something I wanted to be a part of. I’m happy to get to be a part of it.”

Playing in Milwaukee, where he owns a career slash line of .289/.350/.581 with 23 home runs, 63 RBIs and a .931 OPS in 77 games at American Family Field, was a big selling point, too.

“It’s funny,” McCutchen said. “Every time I’d come to Milwaukee, I’d always say ‘alright, I know I’m gonna hit at least one homer.’ It’s just a great place to hit. A great ballpark. I’m looking forward to playing there 80-plus games.”