Brewers Acquire Pitcher Zastryzny from Yankees in Trade

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny from the New York Yankees for cash considerations, the teams announced Friday. Zastryzny, 33, returns to the Brewers after a productive stint with the team last season.

In 2024, Zastryzny went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA over nine appearances with Milwaukee. This year, he spent time at the minor league level and recorded a 4.50 ERA in 13 relief appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate.

As part of the transaction, the Brewers optioned right-handed pitcher Elvis Peguero to Triple-A Nashville. Peguero, 28, has made six relief appearances for Milwaukee this season, sporting a 4.91 ERA.

Zastryzny’s performance at the minor league level has shown promise. In 12 innings this year, he has compiled a 23.5% strikeout rate along with a 50% ground ball rate and no walks issued. His underlying statistics suggest he is a valuable asset despite a 4.50 combined earned run average, influenced by a .378 batting average on balls in play.

The Brewers are familiar with Zastryzny, who had a brief but effective tenure with them last year. His return comes after he underwent an injury during the previous season, which limited his time on the field.

Throughout his career, Zastryzny has appeared in six separate MLB seasons, amassing a 4.30 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 67 innings. His minor league numbers since 2021 indicate a stronger performance, with a 3.57 ERA over 143.2 innings.

“We’re excited to have Rob back on our roster,” Brewers general manager said. “He’s shown us what he can do, and we believe he will help our bullpen.”