Braves Release Former MVP After Short Stint

The Atlanta Braves, a strong team in the current season aiming for a World Series title, decided to release former MVP Andrew McCutchen on Tuesday. McCutchen, 39 years old, was not the same player he once was, and the team felt it was time to move on from him. This decision came after McCutchen had just 37 games with the Texas Rangers at the start of the year.

McCutchen, who signed a minor league deal with the Braves on July 2, had been performing well in Triple-A, hitting .333 with a .908 OPS. However, the team chose to release him due to potential injuries to their outfielders, including Ronald Acuña Jr., who has had a history of health issues. McCutchen, a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger, is likely in his final season in the big leagues.

Despite the Braves having depth in the outfield with players like Mauricio Dubón and Lane Thomas, releasing McCutchen could turn out to be a costly decision. If this marks the end of McCutchen's career, he will go down as the active leader in games played, with 2,299 big league games under his belt and 333 career home runs, along with a .819 OPS.