Rob Zastryzny Back In Brewers' Bullpen After Coming Off Injured List

[Steve Drumwright]

 

The reward for saving the rest of the bullpen Saturday? A one-way ticket to Nashville.

The Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday optioned right-hander Carlos Rodriguez to Triple-A Nashville and activated left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny from the 60-day injured list. Zastryzny has been on the IL since the end of spring training with a strained left shoulder. Left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Zastryzny on the 40-man roster. Zerpa is out for the season after having Tommy John surgery a few weeks ago.

Rodriguez pitched 3⅓ innings in Saturday's 9-2 loss to the Houston Astros, coming within an out of finishing the game. He did allow three runs. Rodriguez has been much better for the Brewers this season, with two of his previous three bullpen appearances being shutout efforts.

Zastryzny gives the Brewers four left-handers in the bullpen, joining Aaron Ashby, DL Hall and Shane Drohan. Zastryzny is coming off a 2025 in which he posted a 2.45 ERA in 26 appearances over 22 innings. He walked 10 and struck out 20.

 

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[Thurston Fluff]

I get why they sent Rodriguez down but would have preferred they ended the Woodford experiment instead.

[Jim French Stepstool]

9 minutes ago, Thurston Fluff said:

I get why they sent Rodriguez down but would have preferred they ended the Woodford experiment instead.

Right now Woodford is immediately available & Rodriguez isn't, which I'm sure you understand as the reason. I think the time will come when Woodford is let go & replaced either by Rodriguez or McGee.

Rodriguez has developed a nice little changeup, but boy he leans on it an awful lot.

[Thurston Fluff]

9 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Right now Woodford is immediately available & Rodriguez isn't, which I'm sure you understand as the reason. I think the time will come when Woodford is let go & replaced either by Rodriguez or McGee.

Rodriguez has developed a nice little changeup, but boy he leans on it an awful lot.

That's why I get the move. But I question how much it matters given who's starting the next couple days and how many multi inning relievers we have. Mostly I just want the Woodford experiment to end. It's hard to justify holding guys like Gasser accountable yet keep someone else around that isn't. Especially when it's done at the expense of someone who was doing what we expected of him. If you set a standard you should keep that standard IMHO.

[Jim French Stepstool]

8 minutes ago, Thurston Fluff said:

That's why I get the move. But I question how much it matters given who's starting the next couple days and how many multi inning relievers we have. Mostly I just want the Woodford experiment to end. It's hard to justify holding guys like Gasser accountable yet keep someone else around that isn't. Especially when it's done at the expense of someone who was doing what we expected of him. If you set a standard you should keep that standard IMHO.

I guess the justification (if you can call it that) is you're talking about a very limited role, so you'd rather have the vet who isn't a part of your long-range plans sitting around gathering dust. Gasser's future (they hope) is as a starter so a little different category. If Woodford WAS part of their plans he'd probably be on a shuttle himself, although I doubt that's much consolation to Gasser.

I agree in this particular case you probably won't even need a long man for the immediate future.

[CheezWizHed]

Yes, I agree with Jim.  I'm sure Gasser, Crowe, and Henderson wish they could remain on the 25-man roster like Woodford... but I'm sure those three prefer their long-term role over Woodford's (i.e., being an expendable arm)

[Jopal78]

Likely a fresh arm that’s disposable Zastryzny has 90 career innings across parts of 7 seasons. They could as easily DFA him when they need another fresh arm. 

[liveforoctober]

Ideally you would have all arms in the bullpen be quality and usable at all times .. but then Miz goes 7, Harrison goes 7, Henderson and Drohan combine to go 9, etc etc ... and half of your bullpen doesn't throw for a full week. Keeping those guys on a regular schedule is such a difficult task ... so as much as every fan base rolls their eyes at the long guy in the pen - I imagine part of that reason is so that the young guys like Gasser/Crow/Henderson and to a lesser extent Rodriguez can all still throw regularly as they develop their arms and add innings.

It does suck in the seldom times when the long guy is needed in a close game and the inevitable happens.

With all of that said, with this team when you have the other MLB arms ready (Koenig, etc) and you don't need to 'save' the young guys by keeping them on schedule in AAA - Woodford would be done. Even though his numbers are not good - he still will have served his purpose and helped develop our young guys by holding that role up here for a 1/2 season.

[sveumrules]

Rob Z is an interesting man of extremes for sure.

Over his 29.2 IP with the Brewers going back to 2024 now he has a shiny 51 ERA- largely on account of limiting hits (72 BABIP+) via an astronomical fly ball rate (129 FB+) that has also helped him strand runners (121 LOB+) at a well above average clip. 

His peripherals are pretty vanilla (99 FIP-) featuring more walks than you'd like (109 BB+) especially considering the lack of strikeouts (93 K+) though his HR suppression (79 HR+) has been good in a small sample, but that 117 xFIP- thinks he's gotten pretty lucky with some of those fly balls staying in the yard.

While the various FIPs aren't big believers, his 2.91 xERA via StatCast slots in between guys like Misio (2.75), Ashby (2.93), Megill (3.03), and Harrison (3.04). 

The average leverage index when he came into a game was 1.13 just ahead of Hoby Milner (1.11) and a little farther behind Joel Payamps (1.24) on that same leaderboard so he's been used in more medium leverage situations than a mop up role like Woodford (his 0.29 gmLI ranks 272nd of 276 relievers with at least 10 IP so far this year).

[Frisbee Slider]

4 hours ago, Jopal78 said:

Likely a fresh arm that’s disposable Zastryzny has 90 career innings across parts of 7 seasons. They could as easily DFA him when they need another fresh arm. 

I feel like we have been very patient with Rob Z. Will he still be healthy next month?