Ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers playing their final game of the exhibition Freeway Series and Spring Training, manager Dave Roberts said the club had not yet determined who would take the final spot in the bullpen.
The Dodgers Opening Day roster is otherwise set, with Tony Cingrani, Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw each beginning the season on the 10-day injured list. With that requiring Ross Stripling and Julio Urias to move into the starting rotation, Roberts said the Dodgers are seeking length from their final reliever.
Roberts indicated the two primary candidates are Dennis Santana and Brock Stewart, and was confident he’d seen enough from both right-handers to make a decision.
While it may boil down to either Santana or Stewart, the Dodgers appear to have signed Rob Zastryzny, as he thanked the Chicago Cubs organization and addressed moving on:
Thank you Chicago @Cubs.
I’m excited to continue my career with the Los Angeles @Dodgers organization. #nextchapter pic.twitter.com/1yzZlXkRBM
— Rob Zastryzny (@RobZastryzny_8) March 28, 2019
According to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group, Zastryzny likely signed a Minor League contract:
41st pick in 2013 draft, LHP Rob Zastryzny has been up and down with Cubs past three years. 2-0, 4.41 ERA, 1.53 WHIP in 18 games, 1 start. Has options left. Sounds like he has signed a minor-league deal with #Dodgers
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 28, 2019
Zastryzny was released by the Cubs on Tuesday. He spent the bulk of the 2018 season with Triple-A Iowa, pitching to a 3.86 ERA over 56 innings. The 27-year-old went 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA, 4.75 FIP and 1.76 WHIP in six games for the Cubs last season.
As noted above, Zastryzny has appeared in just 18 games (one start) for the Cubs over parts of the past three seasons. He’s been used as a multi-inning relief pitcher but only logged more than one inning in one of his six games with the Cubs last year.
