Categories: News

Andrew McCutchen out for the season with a torn ACL

Andrew McCutchen will miss the rest of the 2019 season. (Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire)

Andrew McCutchen opened the 2019 Philadelphia Phillies season by hitting a leadoff home run, immediately endearing himself to fans at Citizens Bank Park. Those fans – and more importantly, the Phillies themselves – will have to navigate through the rest of the season without the five-time All-Star.

Ahead of this evening’s Phillies-San Diego Padres game, the Phillies announced to the collective media, which included MLB.com‘s Todd Zolecki, that McCutchen will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL in the first inning of Monday’s loss.

The 32-year-old suffered the injury after walking in his first at-bat Monday. While on first base, Phillies shortstop Jean Segura popped up and slipped in the batter’s box. Aware of this, Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler allowed the ball to drop, throwing out Segura at first base and getting McCutchen caught in a rundown. McCutchen was ultimately thrown out attempting to get back to first base. He fell to the ground writhing in pain as he gripped his left knee.

McCutchen, who the Phillies signed to a three-year/$50 million deal this past December, is currently the National League leader in walks, having walked 43 times. The former National League MVP was slashing .256/.378/.457 with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs and a 1.7 fWAR. While not as heralded an addition as Bryce Harper or J.T. Realmuto, McCutchen was having a tremendous start to his time in red pinstripes.

Adam Haseley, the Phillies 2017 first-round pick, will be promoted to take McCutchen’s place after getting just 25 at-bats at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. With Odubel Herrera on the restricted list following his arrest last week, Haseley will like split time in center field with Scott Kingery at least for the time being. The newly acquired Jay Bruce will presumably become the Phillies starting left fielder.