3 reasons the Giants are playoff contenders with Andrew McCutchen
By Sean Sears
2. McCutchen still has plenty of pop left in his bat
The 31-year-old veteran hit 28 dingers last season, the most he’s hit since 2012 when he clubbed 31 homers. Expecting McCutchen to hit close to 30 home runs, while not a given, isn’t a crazy assumption. And any plus power will be welcomed in the Giants lineup, as they were dead-last in home runs last season.
His .207 isolated power last season shows McCutchen can still crush the ball, combined with his solid patience at the plate and solid batters behind him in Buster Posey and Brandon Belt, McCutchen should see plenty of good pitches to drive into McCovey Cove.
And while the offense might not compensate for the declining defense McCutchen has displayed, he does offer versatility in the outfield. And with the massive outfield in AT&T Park, having flexibility on defense is never a bad thing.
Even if McCutchen only produced around 20-25 home runs for the Giants, he would still have lead the 2017 Giants squad. They desperately need a power infusion for their lineup, and if the supporting cast in San Francisco plays to their potential McCutchen could help ignite the entire offense.