The Texas Rangers designated former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for assignment on Wednesday, delivering a blow to the 39-year-old’s career.
McCutchen was once one of the top players in the game and was an NL All-Star in five consecutive seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2011-15). But he dropped from star status later in the decade and batted just .192 with one homer and five RBIs in 37 games with the Rangers this season, striking out 22 times in 73 at-bats.
Texas signed infielder Nicky Lopez to a one-year deal in a corresponding move. Lopez was 0-for-5 in four games with the Chicago Cubs before being designated for assignment on Sunday.
McCutchen signed with Texas in March as a free agent and is playing in his 18th big league season. He has 333 career homers, 1,157 RBIs and 220 steals to go with a .271 average in 2,299 games with the Pirates (2009-17, 2023-25), San Francisco Giants (2018), New York Yankees (2018), Philadelphia Phillies (2019-21) and Milwaukee Brewers (2022). The Pirates selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 draft.
Lopez, 31, has a .245 average with seven homers and 153 RBIs in 690 career games over eight seasons with the Kansas City Royals (2019-23), Atlanta Braves (2023), Chicago White Sox (2024), Los Angeles Angels (2025) and Cubs (2025-26). Lopez batted .300 in 151 games for the Royals in 2021.
