San Francisco Giants trade for Andrew McCutchen

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 26: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a grand slam home run in the second inning during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on September 26, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The grand slam home run was the first of McCutchen's career. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco Giants went for broke on Monday afternoon, acquiring outfield Andrew McCutchen via trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Last year, the San Francisco Giants were among the most disappointing teams in Major League Baseball, finishing with a 64-98 record and a last-place finish in the National League West.

Apparently, general manager Brian Sabean wants nothing of a repeat performance, going all-in to acquire outfielder Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

McCutchen, 31, is a former MVP, five-time All Star and one-time Gold Glover, although his range is beginning to dip with age. Still, he’s one of the more complete players in the game, sporting a .278 average with 28 home runs and 88 RBI in Pittsburgh’s lineup last season, along with 11 stolen bases. McCutchen also walks frequently, giving him an on-base percentage of .363.

#SFGiants have agreed to acquire Andrew McCutchen from the #Pirates, pending a review of medical records, sources tell The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 15, 2018

McCutchen immediately upgrades the middle of what was an anemic batting order last year for San Francisco. Combined with catcher Buster Posey, the Giants now have a legitimate 3-4 in the lineup, giving them two right-handed batas that can hit for both average and power.

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While he only has one more year on his current deal, San Francisco might be aggressive in trying to extend his contract before the season begins, provided the haul given up to get him was something significant. If Pittsburgh took a deal similar to what it got for starting pitcher Gerrrit Cole, perhaps Sabean sees this as a rental, although that would be against his track record.

The Giants ranked next-to-last in runs scored in the NL last year, bettering only the San Diego Padres. Incredibly, Brandon Belt led the team with just 18 home runs, while shortstop Brandon Crawford paced the team with 77 RBI.

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