Brewers Projected to Cut Ties With 7-Year MLB Veteran Reliever

Spring training is hardly a tune-up for many of the pitchers on most Major League Baseball teams. It's an all-out battle to keep a job.

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Rob Zastryzny is no stranger to feeling like he's on the roster bubble. Though he's been on the Brewers' 40-man roster for most of the past two seasons, he's also been waived twice, and traded once more for cash.

The fact that Zastryzny has no minor-league options could work in his favor. Teams don't want to lose talent, so the opportunity cost of putting a pitcher in the bullpen that didn't perform as well in camp as others may be worth making sure he's available later in the season.

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Brewers likely to move on from Zastryzny?

Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Rob Zastryzny (58) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

However, on Friday, JR Radcliffe of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel projected that the Brewers would not include Zastryzny in their eight-man bullpen to open the regular season, which would force Milwaukee to designate the seven-year veteran for assignment.

"The Brewers sent two players to the (Kansas City) Royals in the offseason for (Angel) Zerpa, have gotten incredible mileage out of (Aaron) Ashby and (Jared) Koenig, and it's hard to imagine a scenario where they'd send Hall (who could work as a starter or in relief) to the minors opening 2026," wrote Radcliffe.

"That makes for four left-handed relievers and leaves Zastryzny as a potential odd man out. Zastryzny is a rarity in Brewers camp as a player out of option years, meaning Milwaukee can't send him to the minors without the risk of losing him, though they might be able to get him back after designating him for assignment."

Last season, Zastryzny posted a 2.45 ERA in 22 innings for the Brewers, though it was undercut slightly by a 4.59 FIP. The 33-year-old owns a 3.84 career ERA across 89 innings for five different teams.

An injury could create an opportunity for Zastryzny to stick around, but if the season started on Friday, Radcliffe seems to have a point in that he doesn't quite stack up to the other lefties around him.

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