Andrew McCutchen is ‘pretty cool name’ to have in Braves organization

The Braves added five-time All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen on a minor-league deal, giving the former MVP a chance to continue his career.

McCutchen, 39, is nearing the end of what’s been an illustrious 18-year run. He was dropped by the Rangers earlier this season after hitting .192 with a .537 OPS in 37 games, but that didn’t persuade him to retire. McCutchen is limited defensively, appearing sparingly in the corner outfield but mostly limited to designated hitter at this point.

It’s a no-risk addition for the Braves, who will see McCutchen work out in Florida before joining Triple-A Gwinnett, where he’ll try to show he has something left to provide. McCutchen is one of the most well-respected players of the past 15 years, so having him around some of the organization’s younger players is a bonus.

“One of the more respected players in the game, quite frankly,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I haven’t spent much time around him, being on the other side of the field, but it’s very evident the respect people have for him in the game. You hear all the things. Of course I know people who’ve spent a lot of time around him and heard good things. It’s a pretty cool name to have in a Braves uniform. We’ll see how it goes for Cutch down there.”

The Braves would be McCutchen’s seventh team should he eventually earn a promotion. He’s most associated with the Pirates, with whom he spent 12 seasons over two stints (2009-17, 2023-25). The Braves’ infamous trade for outfielder Nate McLouth in 2009 actually created a spot for McCutchen to debut in the Pirates’ outfield.

He’s since hit 333 homers and has a career .819 OPS. He was among baseball’s most electrifying talents in his prime, helping the dormant Pirates back to relevance with three postseason berths.

The career accomplishments mean little for his current status, though. Since posting a .739 OPS in 2024, he has a .679 over the past two years (172 games). He did have a .743 OPS against southpaws a season ago.

The Braves have taken plenty of comparable fliers on once-great talents over the years. Some will recall the team signing former Phillies MVP Ryan Howard to a minor-league deal in 2017, but he was released a month later. The Braves had former Mariners ace Felix Hernandez in spring training in 2020, and although he had a chance to make the roster, he opted out because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.