Fantasy Baseball 2018: Yankees Acquire Andrew McCutchen
By Bill Pivetz
How does Andrew McCutchen’s arrival in with the New York Yankees affect fantasy baseball owners over the final month?
With Aaron Judge‘s return date a question mark, the New York Yankees decided to trade for veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen. The Yankees needed help in right field as they were sending out Neil Walker and Shane Robinson to man the position. How does playing New York affect McCutchen’s fantasy value going forward?
The former MVP is not having the best season of his career. In 130 games, he is hitting .255 with 15 home runs, 55 RBIs and 65 runs scored. AT&T Park is a very pitcher-friendly park, ranked 23rd in home runs according to ESPN Park Factors.
It also doesn’t help when some of the team’s top hitters are hurt. Buster Posey hasn’t played his best before landing on the DL. He is the only Giants hitter with a batting average over .280. The next closest is Brandon Belt at .262.
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Moving to the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium and the rest of the American League East could help McCutchen reach 20 home runs for the eighth straight season. He’ll have a better lineup around him with Giancarlo Stanton, a returning and slimmer Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks and others.
McCutchen has very little experience at Yankee Stadium. In 12 plate appearances, he has a .222/.417/.222 line with two hits and three walks. With 12 home games left, I think McCutchen can significantly raise his Yankee Stadium batting average.
McCutchen is already owned in a majority of fantasy leagues. However, if you play in an AL-only league, I’d spend whatever budget you have left on McCutchen. He is an excellent defender, .993 fielding percentage in right field, and can still hit well.
Judge owners may need to look for a longer-term replacement. The fact that the Yankees went out to acquire McCutchen hints that he isn’t close to returning. Clint Frazier just started his rehab assignment.
This move will also keep Stanton off the field and keep himself healthy for the playoff push. If and when Judge returns this season, I expect McCutchen to platoon with Judge and Gardner in the corner outfield spots.
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McCutchen will use this last month as an audition before becoming a free agent. The almost-32-year-old isn’t the same hitter but he can still run and crush a homer. I like this move for both McCutchen and the rest of the Yankees lineup. If you already own McCutchen, expect a few more runs and RBIs.