With a tired bullpen and a clogged outfield, the Cubs made a difficult decision prior to Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees by designating for assignment outfielder Matt Szczur and calling up left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny from Triple-A Iowa.
Szczur is a well-liked player and a quality outfielder, but the Cubs already had Jon Jay and Albert Almora Jr. sharing center field duties and Ben Zobrist fighting for time in the outfield corners when he’s not manning second base.
The Cubs shopped Szczur in the spring and while many scouts noted he was a strong enough candidate to start for certain teams, he was struggling to find much playing time for the Cubs.