Dodgers fans might want to cool it on Andrew McCutchen trade buzz

The Los Angeles Dodgers need a lot of help at this year's trade deadline, particularly with their pitching staff, but their positional depth needs some work too. A bench of Austin Barnes, Miguel Rojas, Trayce Thompson/Jonny DeLuca and Jason Heyward just isn't going to cut it for a team with World Series aspirations.

That's why some fans have been angling for Andrew McCutchen, the former MVP who has witnessed a renaissance with the Pittsburgh Pirates -- the team that drafted him back in 2005.

Cutch would seemingly be a perfect fit on this Dodgers team, one that's always looking to spread the wealth with reps, especially with their outfield situation in flux. James Outman's slump post-April is still alive and well, while Mookie Betts continues to get plenty of run in the infield, considering Rojas simply can't be an everyday player with how bad his bat has been.

Adding a veteran outfielder who's hitting .271 with an .825 OPS, 127 OPS+, 9 home runs, 24 RBI and 9 stolen bases would certainly be a shrewd move. There's just one problem with McCutchen's situation.

Per FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray, it's "highly unlikely" the Pirates trade the former MVP. Though the Buccos are 1-9 in their last 10 games and have fallen below .500, they're still only 5.5 games out of the NL Central race.

Dodgers Rumors: Pirates unlikely to trade Andrew McCutchen, per Robert Murray

The other issue is, yes, he's primarily been a designated hitter this year, which is a spot reserved for JD Martinez in LA. He's another aging veteran who has experienced a resurgence notwithstanding a recent slump. The Dodgers aren't going to take his bat out of the lineup under any circumstances, nor would they put him in the field, since he's placed just 83 games in the outfield since 2019.

David Peralta rebounding after an awful April and becoming one of the hottest bats in the league over the last two months should help the Dodgers brace for a weak outfield trade market, at least.

That said, all hope is not lost on the Pirates potentially dealing McCutchen. There's still over a month until the trade deadline, leaving Pittsburgh plenty of time to fall further behind in the playoff race. They would more than likely need to win the division in order to play in October, given how competitive the NL East and NL West are in 2023.

Their schedule before August 1? A total of 28 games against the Padres, Brewers, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Giants, Guardians, Angels and Phillies. Another 1-9 stretch could certainly change the front office's mind, especially if Milwaukee continues to pull away.