McCutchen is out of the lineup for Thursday's tilt with Atlanta.

EDGE Analysis

As expected, McCutchen is out of the lineup for the final game of the series with Atlanta Thursday. The 29-year-old showed frustrations that he wasn't dealt before the trade deadline and the Pirates wanted to give him several games off to reestablish a winning mindset heading into the playoff push. Starling Marte is making a start in center in McCutchen's absence.

The Pirates are expected to keep McCutchen on the bench for both Wednesday and Thursday, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

EDGE Analysis

Including Monday's off day, that would give the center fielder four full days of rest prior to Friday's home game against Cincinnati. Pittsburgh has to hope the time away gives McCutchen enough of a break to re-set both on the field and off -- he was critical of the team's recent deadline deals.

McCutchen is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Braves, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

EDGE Analysis

McCutchen, who's gone just 4-for-21 (.190) over the last seven days, will sit out his second consecutive game. The Pirates will go with an outfield lineup of Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte, and Matt Joyce as they take on Rob Whalen and the Braves.

McCutchen is not in the Pirates starting lineup on Tuesday against the Braves.

EDGE Analysis

McCutchen is hitting just .211 with 11 strikeouts over his last 38 at-bats. He will take a seat as Matt Joyce gets a start in the outfield on Tuesday. Expect McCutchen back in the lineup on Wednesday for the Pirates at Turner Field.

McCutchen went 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, and four RBI in the Pirates' blowout win over the Mariners.

EDGE Analysis

McCutchen lead the offense while starter Gerrit Cole threw a dominating three-hit complete game. McCutchen entered the game mired in a 4-for-26 slump, which he broke out of with authority. Despite hitting just .241/.314/.405 entering Wednesday's contest, the Pirates have kept faith in their star centerfielder, continuing to bat him third in the order. Fantasy owners should keep faith as well, and hope Wednesday's performance is a sign of better days ahead for McCutchen.

McCutchen is out of the lineup Sunday against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

McCutchen will get the day off after making 15 straight starts in center field, and going 1-for-7 at the plate during the first two games of the series. A cold start for McCutchen has led into a July in which his OPS (.725) is the same Sunday as it was back on the first of the month. While the outfielder gets a maintenance day, Starling Marte will cover for him in center field, while Matt Joyce draws the start in right.

McCutchen reached base three times Thursday, going 2-for-3 with a walk.

EDGE Analysis

Typically this doesn't represent much news for a career .293 hitter, but Cutch has put up 0-for-5 and 0-for-8 efforts in two of his last three games. The free pass was just McCutchen's second in ten games -- his 8.7 percent walk rate is well below his career average of 11.8 percent. He compiled a 14.3 percent rate just one season ago.

McCutchen went 1-for-4 and stole his third base of the season Friday in Washington.

EDGE Analysis

The center fielder's stolen base was just his third in eight attempts and his head-first slide shows he might be getting a bit more aggressive on the bases. McCutchen holds a modest four-game hitting streak (7-for-16) with three extra-base hits as he tries to rebound from a miserable first half.

McCutchen went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's loss to the Cubs.

EDGE Analysis

The homer was his second in as many games and 14th of the season, and McCutchen closed out the first half with an impressive .314/.375/.543 line through nine July games. If he can stay healthy after the All-Star break, he still has time to put up some big numbers and justify his preseason ADP.

McCutchen went 2-for-5 with a solo homer, three RBI and a run in Saturday's 12-6 victory over the Cubs.

EDGE Analysis

He evened things up at four apiece in the third with a 419-foot shot off Jon Lester, his first long ball since June 25. McCutchen came back to add the go-ahead runs in the next frame with a clutch single that plated Eric Fryer and Jody Mercer, snapping a 5-5 tie. The 29-year-old slugger now has consecutive multi-hit outings, and his slashing .313/.389/.469 overall in 32 July at-bats.