PITTSBURGH – After playing through the pain for several weeks, Andrew McCutchen is finally taking a break. The Pittsburgh Pirates have placed the five-time All-Star and former MVP on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his left knee. To fill the void, infielder Alika Williams has been recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.
McCutchen, 37, has been dealing with this knee issue for some time, affecting his ability to stay consistently in the lineup. Despite the injury, McCutchen managed to contribute significantly at the plate. “He’s been able to swing the bat well,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton on Friday night. “He’s on an 11-game hitting streak, driving the ball, but running has been challenging.”
During this 11-game streak, which is the second-longest active streak in MLB behind Carlos Correa’s 13 games, McCutchen has gone 14-for-43 with a double, three home runs, 12 RBIs, and a .981 OPS. However, after taking a walk in the seventh inning of Friday night’s 5-3 win against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park, McCutchen was removed from the game due to what was described as left knee discomfort. Ji Hwan Bae replaced him as a pinch-runner. McCutchen has been one of the Pirates’ most consistent hitters in August, even as the team struggled with a 2-11 record this month.
“My 70 percent is better than zero percent,” McCutchen said after last Sunday’s game. “If I can swing the bat, I’m going to do it. If I can’t run, I can’t run, but my job is to hit and DH. They’re not asking me to steal bases or anything. I’m just trying to do my job.”
Now in his 16th MLB season, McCutchen’s 2023 campaign was cut short by a partial tear in his left Achilles tendon. After appearing in 112 games last season, McCutchen has played in 101 games this year, with a .235/.336/.405 slash line and 16 home runs, just one shy of his total from 2022.
Borucki Begins Rehab Assignment
Left-handed reliever Ryan Borucki is set to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday night with Triple-A Indianapolis. Borucki, who has been sidelined since April 5 due to left triceps inflammation, had a previous rehab assignment paused due to a setback. The 30-year-old southpaw has a 5.40 ERA in four appearances this season. Last year, Borucki was a key contributor for the Pirates, posting a 4-0 record with a 2.45 ERA in 38 games.
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