Giants pick up two prospects for McCutchen

With Aaron Judge still on the disabled list with a wrist injury, the Yankees needed outfield help and were willing to deal prospects to make it happen. With the Giants sitting below .500 at 67-68, San Francisco was ready to sell before Friday's deadline. That made for a solid match.
The Yankees traded No. 23 prospectAbiatal Avelino and No. 26 Juan De Paula to the Giants for veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen on Friday, both clubs confirmed. The Giants are also sending cash to split the remaining $2.4 million on McCutchen's 2018 contract before he becomes a free agent this offseason. The 31-year-old outfielder cleared revocable waivers earlier this month, allowing Friday's trade to go through.

Avelino is in the midst of his best offensive Minor League season. The 23-year-old shortstop hit .337/.392/.553 over 49 games for Double-A Trenton to earn mid-season All-Star honors in the Eastern League before being promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for good on July 6. His numbers haven't been quite as strong at the higher level, posting a .252/.291/.372 line in 74 games. However, his 15 homers on the season blow his previous career high of six completely out of the water. The Dominican Republic native remains a threat on base -- his 25 steals this season are his highest total since swiping 54 bags in 2015.
Signed by the Yankees in December 2011, Avelino, who also has a plus arm, has been eligible to be taken in each of the last two Rule 5 Drafts but went unselected. He may have played himself into 40-man consideration with San Francisco, thanks to this latest power surge. 

De Paula signed for $175,000 with the Mariners in July 2014 and was traded two years later (also on Aug. 31) to the Yankees for Ben Gamel. He has yet to pitch for a full-season affiliate and was in the midst of his second season with Class A Short Season Staten Island at the time of this latest swap. The 20-year-old right-hander owns a 1.71 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 46 strikeouts and 26 walks in 47 1/3 innings this year. He can throw in the low-to-mid-90s with his fastball while his curve and changeup are seen as more average offerings. His control has taken a step back in 2018 with his 13.2 percent walk rate representing a career high.
McCutchen will now head to his third organization in the last 12 months, having been dealt from the Pirates to the Giants last offseason. The five-time All-Star hit .255/.357/.415 with 15 homers and 13 steals in 130 games for San Francisco. While he's not playing at the level that earned him a National League MVP award, McCutchen still represents an upgrade for a Yankees side that had been using Neil Walker and Shane Robinson in right field on days when Giancarlo Stanton played designated hitter. New York is 8 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East but is sitting pretty in the Wild Card race, 4 1/2 games up on runner-up Oakland and nine games ahead of first-team-out Seattle.