The Cubs announced that left-hander Rob Zastryzny has been claimed off waivers from the Brewers. Righty Jimmy Herget was designated for assignment in a corresponding move, and Chicago also outrighted four other players off their 40-man roster: catcher Christian Bethancourt, and right-handers Yency Almonte, Enoli Paredes, and Colten Brewer. All four players elected free agency after clearing waivers.
Zastryzny, 32, spent the first three seasons of his career with the Cubs. He was a second-round pick by Chicago back in 2013 but has since bounced around the league, spending big league time with the Mets, Angels, Pirates and Brewers since departing the Cubs following the 2018 season. He’s also had minor league stints in the Dodgers and Marlins organizations. In 2024, Zastryzny yielded just one run in 7 2/3 MLB frames as a Brewer, nicely complementing a 3.03 ERA and 32.5% strikeout rate in 29 1/3 Triple-A frames. He has another five seasons of club control remaining, but as a depth claim, there’s no guarantee he’ll last the offseason on the 40-man roster.
Herget, 31, spent the bulk of the season with the Braves after a two-year stint in the Angels organization. The Cubs claimed him off waivers in mid-September but didn’t use him in the big leagues. He logged 12 1/3 innings with Atlanta and notched a 4.38 ERA (six runs) with a 15-to-3 K/BB ratio. In 155 big league innings, Herget carries a 3.54 ERA with a slightly below-average 22.2% strikeout rate and a sharp 7.4% walk rate.
Herget is out of minor league options, so any team that places a claim would need to carry Herget on the big league roster to begin next season. If he clears waivers, he’ll become a free agent and likely seek a minor league contract in free agency. He’s arbitration-eligible for the first time but comes with just a $900K projected salary, per MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
Of the outrighted players, each of Almonte, Bethancourt and Brewer were also arb-eligible. Swartz projected the trio for respective salaries of $2.2MM, $2.5MM and $800K, respectively. Almonte came to the Cubs alongside Michael Busch in last offseason’s trade with the Dodgers, but a shoulder strain limited him to 15 2/3 innings. Bethancourt is a rocket-armed, journeyman catcher who provided little with the bat at a position where the Cubs are seeking offensive upgrades. Brewer has been with four organizations over the past three seasons but posted a 5.66 ERA in 20 2/3 innings with the Cubs this season.
Paredes, 29, posted a 1.66 ERA in 21 1/3 innings between the Brewers and Cubs (just one scoreless inning for the latter team). However, he did so with a middling 18.4% strikeout rate and worrying 11.5% walk rate — all while also showing a heater that averaged 93.9 mph, which is nearly two miles per hour slower than the 95.7 mph he displayed in his 2020 debut. Paredes thrived in part due to a tiny .220 average on balls in play and a bloated 84% strand rate. Like Herget, he’s out of minor league options.
Assuming Herget clears waivers, all five players jettisoned from Chicago’s 40-man roster today appear ticketed for minor league deals on the open market.
I was hoping for a lot more dump offs than that. Hoyer and his pets.
Hoyer has never came across a former Cub he didn’t love.
There is absolutely zero chance the Cubs tender Wisdom and Madrigal contracts right?
Drascoo- Is there any doubt in your mind at this point? I’m convinced it’s EXACTLY what he’s gonna do. Sigh.
Nov. 22 is the day for the non-tenders. I calculate a 0.108% chance that Madrigal or Wisdom will be tendered a contract.
Nah. Who will do push ups at the Cubs Convention if Wisdom Is gone? You underestimate the Hoyer attraction principle.
Second time with Rob Z is the charm?
Lot more dump offs coming. Today is only deadline to get to 40. Tender date still three away almost. Don’t fret until you need to. Not a single reason to get to 34 guys until you have to.
There should be more. Tender deadline is on November 22nd I believe and they’ve got at least another 11-12 arb eligible players after this move. I’d be shocked if they don’t get rid of some of them by then.
Wisdom can sing for the fans at the Cubs convention.
The Alphabet!
Many pitchers in their early thirties figure out how to get MLB hitters out.
Left-hander
Gotta maintain the legacy of 2016 somehow. Believe Zastryzny was the player dropped to make room for Schwarber on the World Series roster.
Correct. However, La Stella was the true odd man out because he would have made the roster if Schwarbs couldn’t do it.
Sigh. I actually miss Tommy LaStella after watching Mastrobuoni flounder around for 2 years.
That team had depth. They were leaving guys off the postseason roster like LaStella, Cahill, Hammel, etc , that had had a decent year.
In the picture it appears he’s a left hander. How can the author be that stupid?
Instead of being insulting, just calmly point it out. Mistakes happen, especially when there’s a lot of activity to keep track of in one day.
Themed is a White Sox fan. It would be foolish to expect anything other than ignorance and insults.
Actually, he’s worse than that. He’s a Cardinals fan.
How low can u go? Satan’s messengers on Earth …
I love Rob’s nickname……makes me laugh
Scrabble
HAHA
Ooopsy, wrong dude, another guy with the alphabet name….Rzeczynski
I swear. If the Brewers left a half full bag of diamond-dry unprotected outside their stadium, the Cubs would be right there to claim it and run off with it.
Haha…I love that story.
Zastryzny has never lost a major league game. Wonder how many appearances without a loss is a record?
The off season waiver merry-go-round begins