It is no secret the New York Yankees are trying to win a World Series this year. It is also no secret that the dog days of summer are taking their toll on the Bronx Bombers with Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius, and Aaron Judge all on the sidelines. The wrist injury to Judge is really concerning at this point because it is a wrist injury and any wrist injury is something to be concerned over. They can take a long time for a hitter to recover from. This is why the Yankees need to pull the trigger on an Andrew McCutchen trade.
McCutchen was placed on waivers yesterday and it is widely believed that the San Francisco Giants will allow McCutchen to go to a team with a chance to make a postseason run. He will be owed approximately $3 million for the remainder of the year and that should fit into the Yankees’ budget.
Leading up to the July 31st trade deadline this move might not have made much sense but the Yankees could use the outfield depth and McCutchen might be the best player available right now. He is far from the MVP he was in 2013, or the guy who had two Top 5 finishes in the NL MVP in 2014 and 2015. Instead, McCutchen is a veteran leader who could bring a fairly decent on-base percentage, it stands at .354 right now, and some pop, 14 home runs. He could fall right into the mix with Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, and Giancarlo Stanton. He would also provide some depth when Judge does get back while offering a right-handed bat to spell Gardner against lefties.
The Yankees are very close to watching this season slip away to disabled list stints. Granted, they aren’t the only team dealing with injuries but the injuries to the Yankees’ players could prevent them going on another October run.
With Gregorius being placed on the DL the Yankees have recalled the immortal Luke Voit and still have Shane Robinson playing significant innings. Those are two gaping holes in a lineup that can ill afford them at this point. The Yankees can sit back, do nothing, and hope that Judge’s wrist heals perfectly and that Clint Frazier’s head clears up overnight. They can hope Brett Gardner’s body can hold up over the stretch. Crossing your fingers and hoping doesn’t do any good. Brian Cashman needs to be proactive here. He needs to get a bat.
Adding McCutchen gives the Yankees a veteran presence in the lineup and a much more capable bat than Robinson. He might not be an MVP candidate anymore but he is currently hitting a fairly healthy .257/.354/.414 with 14 home runs, 26 doubles, two triples, and 61 runs scored. He could be a shot in the arm to the Yankees as he tries to get his first World Series ring.
A month ago McCutchen didn’t fit on the Yankees’ roster. Today he not only fits but fills a huge void and would improve the Yankees’ bench when everyone gets healthy. If everyone gets healthy. Right now, he is the best of the bunch and if he falls to the Yankees on the waiver wire or clears altogether the Yankees have to try and pull the trigger. Their season could count on it.