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The Cleveland Guardians have had a fairly quiet offseason following a successful 2025 campaign. After winning the American League Central division, the club has only made several relatively minor moves this winter. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti has opted to focus on strengthening his rotation and bullpen. This, however, could soon change.

Bleacher Report is now predicting that Cleveland will soon land Andrew McCutchen. The former 2013 National League MVP is currently a free agent after his one-year, $5 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates recently ended. Despite the fact that the Pittsburgh legend is now 39, he wants to play one more year. The five-time All-Star posted a .239 batting average to go along with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs in 2025.

It was previously thought that McCutchen would ultimately re-sign with the Pirates to finish off his stellar career. Nevertheless, this looks very unlikely now. The veteran previously showed his frustration with his soon-to-be former organization when they chose not to invite him to their fan fest.

Pittsburgh then seemingly closed the door on McCutchen’s return when they brought in Marcell Ozuna via free agency. It is safe to say that the star did not take the news very well. McCutchen fired back by removing all references to the Pirates on his social media accounts.

Andrew McCutchen would be a Good Addition to the Cleveland Guardians

GettyAndrew McCutchen has collected an MVP, Gold Glove, and four Silver Slugger awards with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Although McCutchen is clearly not the player he once was, he would seemingly fit in well in Cleveland. Bleacher Report previously predicted that manager Stephen Vogt would go with a young lineup on opening day. This includes making rookies Chase DeLauter and George Valera starters in the outfield, and C.J. Kayfus as the designated hitter. Kayfus previously played 44 MLB games with the club in 2025.

McCutchen may not still be a regular starter for a contender such as the Guardians. He would, however, be a solid addition to a young team with question marks heading towards the 2026 season. The former All-Star mostly served as Pittsburgh’s DH during the most recent campaign. Nevertheless, he can be deployed in either of the corner outfield positions. He also previously played a majority of his career in center field.

On top of potentially bringing veteran leadership to the Guardians, McCutchen has also proven to be reliable. In fact, the star has averaged 129 games per season over the last five campaigns. His last serious injury that forced him to miss significant time was back in 2019 when he tore his ACL.

Guardians Likely Have to Make Moves to Retain Division Title

Bringing in McCutchen may not send Cleveland fans into a frenzy, but it would essentially be an insurance policy. The veteran could be there just in case the team’s budding youngsters get off to a rocky start to the season. Signing with the Guardians would also help the star stay relatively close to home.

Cleveland could find it difficult to pick up their third consecutive division title in 2026. The Detroit Tigers have brought in Framber Valdez to boost their biggest weakness, while the Kansas City Royals appear to be a team on the rise. Along with McCutchen, the Guardians brass may have to make another significant move in the coming months.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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