Andrew McCutchen led off for the Philadelphia Phillies against his former team, the New York Yankees, Thursday afternoon. The Phillies hope the results for the game – the Yankees won 6-0 – aren’t a precursor of things to come in 2019. But McCutchen hitting leadoff? That’s something second-year manager Gabe Kapler seems to think could stick.
Thursday, Kapler told the collective media, which included Jayson Stark of The Athletic, that McCutchen has “all the characteristics of a great leadoff hitter.”
McCutchen, 32, signed a lucrative three-year/$45 million free-agent contract with the Phillies this past December.