In Rangers spring debut, McCutchen quickly proves 'he’s still got it!'
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PEORIA, Ariz. -- Andrew McCutchen stood outside the Rangers’ visiting clubhouse and chuckled as his teammate Sam Haggerty exclaimed, “He’s still got it!” while walking to his car.
McCutchen, 39, signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers on Friday and made his Cactus League debut for Texas on Monday afternoon against the Padres at Peoria Stadium. In the Rangers’ 4-1 win, McCutchen went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, with a pair of batted balls leaving the bat at exit velocities of 104.1 mph (double) and 100.9 mph (lineout).
“It feels good to get back out there on the field and try to get the game speed of things going,” McCutchen said. “I trust in my work this offseason, and trust in that process as best as I can, going out there. I’m trying not to overdo it and just stay within myself. I’ve got the little jitters out of the way -- crazy, believe it or not, I still get jitters. It was a good day. I feel like I saw the ball well, worked a couple full counts and made some good contact.”
McCutchen reported to Arizona on Friday, and spent the weekend taking at-bats on the backfields in Surprise. But he’s not ignorant of the timing of his signing. If he’s going to make the Opening Day roster, he needs to show he can make an impact sooner rather than later.
He showed it in a small sample on Monday.
“I've really enjoyed myself [this past week], and that's credit to the Rangers organization,” McCutchen said. “They've made me feel welcome since I've gotten here. They've let me just be a veteran, do what I need to do. Given that freedom, and also knowing that there was only literally two and a half weeks left for a regular season, it speaks volumes of [manager Skip Schumaker] and everyone involved. I've really enjoyed myself, been able to be here and be comfortable very quickly.”
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Quick hitters
• Outfielder Brandon Nimmo went 1-for-2 with an RBI triple and a walk
• Texas’ group of relievers made an impact in the victory. Veteran Tyler Alexander pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits but working around a pair of walks.
• Recent Rule 5 Draft selection Carter Baumler allowed an unearned run on two hits.
• Josh Sborz had zeros across the board in one inning of work as he continues working his way back to being a healthy contributor in the bullpen after undergoing right shoulder surgery in 2024.