LEADING OFF
A look at what’s happening around the majors on Saturday:
CLINT CUT: The up-anddown career of Clint Frazier took another turn when he was cut by the Chicago Cubs.
The 27-year-old outfielder was designated for assignment in a surprise decision by the team. He was at Yankee Stadium on Friday afternoon for the start of the Chicago-New York series and his Cubs uniform was hanging in his locker.
“He was upset. Emotional, would be a good word,” manager David Ross said. “I think he likes it here a lot. I think he believes in his baseball skills, which we do, too. But it’s just one of those really tough decisions we have to make sometimes.”
The 27-year-old Frazier, once a highly rated prospect, was given only 37 at-bats by the Cubs following his rocky tenure with the Yankees. Signed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract, he was batting .216 with three doubles, one RBI and a stolen base in 19 games. He missed more than a month because of an appendectomy.
The Cubs have seven days to trade, release or send him outright to the minors if he clears waivers.
SURGERY SETBACKS: Tampa Bay reliever Andrew Kittredge and Detroit starter Casey Mize are both headed for Tommy John surgery.
Kittredge, an All-Star last season, is the latest Rays reliever to be sidelined. He joined Nick Anderson, J.T. Chargois, Pete Fairbanks and J.P. Feyereisen as key late-inning options who are currently on the injured list.
The 32-year-old righty had just returned five days ago from a 17-game absence due to lower back tightness. He has five saves in eight attempts and a 3.15 ERA in 17 games.
Mize, the No. 1 pick in the June 2018 draft, has a 7-13 record with a 4.29 ERA in 39 big league appearances, all of them starts for the Tigers. The 25-year-old has been on the injured list with a right elbow sprain since April 15 after making two starts this season.
OTTO A NO GO: Rangers rookie Glenn Otto has been put on the COVID-19-related injured list, putting his run of successful starts on pause.
The 26-year-old righty had been scheduled to pitch Friday night against the White Sox in Chicago.
Otto is 4-2 with 4.24 ERA in eight starts. He has won his last three starts with a 2.25 ERA in the span.