Pirates pre-game notes: Andrew McCutchen out of the lineup
MILWAUKEE -- Andrew McCutchen is not in tonight’s starting lineup on the day he won the NL player of the month award.
“We’ve been talking about a day off for the past four or five days,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Last night we decided today would be a good day off.”
Hurdle said McCutchen’s left knee, which had bothered him earlier this season, did not cause him trouble.
McCutchen hit .348 with five home runs, a .609 slugging percentage and .470 on-base percentage. He ranks fifth in the NL in Wins Above Replacement, behind Bryce Harper, Joey Votto, Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock, just ahead of Kris Bryant, Buster Posey and Anthony Rizzo.
McCutchen is hitting .303/.404/.517 with 20 homers, a weighted Runs Created plus (wRC+) of 154, with 100 being league average and Harper leading the league with 193. He will again finish within the top 10 in MVP voting.
Hurdle said he thinks the Pirates having had success without him makes it easier for him to agree to a night off.
“I think it’s also a relief off his mind, that he feels like he’s not doing a disservice to the ballclub,” Hurdle said. “I think earlier in his career there were times where he didn’t feel like taking the night off.”