McCutchen out for season with torn ACL
Andrew McCutchen's first season in Philadelphia has come to a sudden and untimely end.
The outfielder suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during Monday's game and will miss the remainder of 2019, the Phillies announced Tuesday.
McCutchen suffered the injury during a first-inning rundown against the Padres in San Diego.
Andrew McCutchen has exited today's game with an injury and had to be helped off the field. pic.twitter.com/bAy1yQ85uH
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 4, 2019
The Phillies initially announced that McCutchen suffered a left knee sprain but an MRI confirmed the more serious injury.
"It's a sucky dynamic," he said Tuesday, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. "It's not the news I wanted to hear."
McCutchen added that he hopes to be ready for next year's Opening Day and believes he'll be able to keep playing at his pre-injury level once he's done rehabbing.
“I think the surgery will go well, I'll heal up and have the right team around me to get me back," he told Zolecki. "I'm not the only 32-year-old who has had to deal with this. There have been plenty of guys who have had worse injuries than I have and have come back even stronger."
He didn't suffer damage to any other knee ligaments, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
This is the first major injury for the 32-year-old, who joined the Phillies this winter on a three-year, $50-million contract. McCutchen has been known for his durability throughout his career; he's appeared in at least 146 games during each of the last nine seasons while averaging 150 games per year.
Andrew McCutchen currently has played the most MLB games this decade.
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) June 4, 2019
Though he'll be surpassed in that stat, he earned being at the top of the list. He played 95-96% of possible games in just about every season since he's been up.
McCutchen was off to his best start in years this season for the first-place Phillies, as the former MVP was hitting .256/.378/.457 with 10 homers, 12 doubles, 29 RBIs, and an NL-leading 43 walks over 59 games.
Philadelphia selected the contract of Adam Haseley, the organization's No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Haseley, who posted an .824 OPS with seven homers in 47 games between Lehigh Valley and Double-A Reading this year, will make his MLB debut in center field on Tuesday.
Manager Gabe Kapler told Zolecki that Haseley will now be the team's everyday center fielder, with Jay Bruce - who the Phillies acquired from Seattle on Sunday - playing in left.
Right-hander Victor Arano was moved to the 60-day IL to open Haseley's 40-man roster spot.