McCutchen tears Achilles, out for year

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon in yesterday’s game, and will miss the rest of the season, per multiple reports.

The 36 year old McCutchen returned to Pittsburgh, where he spent a half-decade as one of the best players in baseball, on a one year deal this season. He has had a solid year, putting up a .256/.378/.397 slash line while primarily DHing for the Pirates, good for a 1.4 bWAR in 112 games.

McCutchen was a name that was discussed as a possible deadline acquisition for teams looking for a righthanded bat. While he is past his prime, he is still a pretty decent hitter, and is considered a terrific teammate and clubhouse guy. At one point Texas was linked to McCutchen back in July, though Chris Young suggested that those rumors were without basis.

The good news is that it is just a partial tear, and at this point does not appear to require surgery. Had McCutchen needed surgery, it would likely have put his 2024 season in jeopardy. Depending on how his recovery goes, McCutchen could be in a position to be back next year.