By Jordan Long
Major League Baseball is now in the offseason after the Atlanta Braves won the World Series, beating the Houston Astros in 6 games. The Philadelphia Phillies decided to decline options on the contracts of outfielders Obubel Herrera and Andrew McCutchen. Herrera gets a $2.5 million buyout while McCutchen earned a $3 million buyout. They are now free agents.
Herrera finished his 6th season in Major League Baseball, all with the Phillies. This season he hit .260 which is up from 2019 when Herrera’s batting average was .222. Herrera smacked 13 home runs, his 2nd worst in a full MLB season. In 2017 he totaled 14. Herrera also collected 51 RBI’s. Those aren’t great numbers but not the worst either.
When it came to fielding, Herrera played all positions of the outfield. He was mostly the center fielder playing at the position for 104 games. Herrera made 2 errors but he has a strong arm which made it difficult for runners to advance. He totaled 5 outfield assists. Herrera spent 23 games in leftfield with 1 error and no outfield assists. Herrera played right field the least this season with 1 game.
Letting Herrera go doesn’t make a whole lot of sense because of his defense. He didn’t do much offensively. When he tried to move his teammates around the bases or drive runs in he often failed to do so. Teams are going to want him because he can play everywhere in the outfield and his throwing ability is going to help a team throw out a baserunner trying to move up on a fly ball or grounder that ends up in the outfield.
McCutchen is probably the biggest surprise. He is an “All-Star” player. McCutchen’s batting average was a disappointing .222. He still had the power to smash the ball out of the park with 27 home runs. His problem at the plate was swinging at pitches outside the zone. He started to become a free swinger. McCutchen ended up striking out 132 times which was the second most in his career. Philadelphia wanted more production at the plate from him and he never improved his game.
When it came to defense, McCutchen was pretty much the everyday left fielder. He was placed there 135 times this past season. He totaled 4 errors there. Even with those errors, McCutchen still could throw runners out, totaling 4 outfield assists.
McCutchen is going to be a prominent name in free agency. He has been an All-Star and a Gold Glove winner in his career. He knows how to play the outfield. It just seemed that Philadelphia wasn’t a fit for him. A franchise who is looking to make a playoff run should pick him up. He would improve the outfield.
Philadelphia seems like they are rebuilding the outfield. It may not improve by letting Herrera and McCutchen test free agency, especially if they help other teams win. Philadelphia could regret this decision.
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