Rangers Designate Former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen for Assignment

Former NL MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen was designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, after he hit .192 in his 37 games. The 39-year-old McCutchen had joined the Rangers on a minor league contract midway through spring training and made their opening day roster for his 18th MLB season. He started only 16 games, nine as the designated hitter and six in the outfield. Texas signed infielder Nicky Lopez to a major league contract. The 31-year-old Lopez has played in 693 big league games over parts of eight seasons with five teams. The left-handed hitter was designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. McCutchen had two doubles, one home run and five RBIs with Texas, with 21 of his plate appearances coming as a pinch hitter. Those were the most at-bats as a pinch hitter for any MLB player this season. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright McCutchen to the minor leagues. McCutchen played the past three seasons for Pittsburgh, the club that drafted him in the first round in 2005 and promoted him in 2009 for his major league debut. McCutchen played his first nine years in MLB with the Pirates, making five straight All-Star teams and winning the 2013 National League MVP award while becoming one of the most popular players in that franchise’s history. He then bounced around with four other teams between 2018 and 2022 before reuniting with the Pirates. He played in 135 games last year, hitting .239 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs before becoming a free agent. He is a career .271 hitter with 333 homers, 1,157 RBIs and 220 stolen bases in 2,299 games. Reporting by the Associated Press.