The Yankees announced Monday morning that they’ve signed left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny to a minor league deal and invited him to join their major league camp. Zastryzny was designated for assignment by the Cubs last week and outrighted after he went unclaimed on waivers. However, the veteran southpaw had the right to reject that assignment in favor of free agency. The Cubs never formally announced that he did so, but this morning’s announcement from the Yankees makes it clear that’s how things played out.
Zastryzny, 32, has pitched in parts of six big league seasons and tallied nearly two full years of MLB service. He tossed 7 2/3 innings with the 2024 Brewers and allowed only one run four hits and a walk with five strikeouts. He’s also seen big league time with the Cubs, Mets, Angels and Pirates, combining for a 4.30 earned run average in 67 innings.
Zastryzny has fanned 18.2% of his opponents against a 10.5% walk rate. His 44.8% ground-ball rate is only a couple ticks better than average, but he’s excelled when it comes to keeping the ball in the yard, limiting opponents to an average of just 0.40 homers per nine frames. Lefties have been particularly inept against him, batting just .189/.319/.232 in 113 plate appearances. Conversely, righties have torched the 6’3″ southpaw at a .311/.372/.447 clip. Zastryzny posted a 3.03 ERA in Triple-A last season and carries a career 4.69 mark in parts of eight seasons at that level (409 innings).
The Yankees’ only left-hander in the bullpen at the moment is Tim Hill, who re-signed in the Bronx on a one-year deal earlier this month. Zastryzny joins fellow veteran Tyler Matzek as a seasoned non-roster invitee in camp. He’ll compete for a spot alongside Hill in the ’pen, though there are enough notable unsigned veterans that it’s possible the Yankees could still bring someone in on a guaranteed deal.
Let’s go Blake!
The yankees are collecting left handers. the yankees still need a third basemen.
You can never have enough LHP. But i agree. They not only need a solid 3B, they need another lefthand bat.
Let’s just hope this guy isn’t a diZastra. Ahahahahaha!
Cabrera was pretty okay against righties. If they could find a platoon maybe they can get decent 3b production
They have 3 in camp. Unless they are all really inept during ST, they are it.
well, maybe they’re gonna trade all 20 of these reclamation projects they’ve taken on which together would probably add up to a good few million at least, and get one.
haha. yup. another reclamation project for him, how many are there so far like 100
This dude will be the next Ian Hamilton. A random castoff that Matt Blake turns into an elite arm. Book it
OK! I have tomorrow as the time he’ll be dfa’d for the third time this off-season.
He’s a lefty. That buys him two extra days.
I told you to book it.
this guy will be the next tim hill once he puts on pinstripes
More like Rob Zaskoufax
And the employee who puts player’s names on the back of uniforms
is CUSSING !!
i see that name and i hear “cover your left eye. what’s the lowest row you can read?”’
another one of these hundreds of depth moves, reclamation project for Matt Blake, if you add up all these scores of death moves for the bullpen or pitching staff or whatever and you didn’t take on Johnny L‘s contract which I’m sure he’s gonna be out again for most of the year injured, you’d be having enough money to get a real third baseman. But what do I know I’m not the glorious GM.