Cubs DFA Clint Frazier ahead of Yankee Stadium return
The Chicago Cubs designated outfielder Clint Frazier for assignment as part of a roster shuffle Friday, only a few hours before he was supposed to make his return to Yankee Stadium.
Frazier joined the Cubs as a free agent in the offseason, shortly after the New York Yankees non-tendered him. The 27-year-old was formerly a top Yankees prospect and was expected to be a big part of their future before injuries derailed his career.
Earlier Friday, Frazier had some harsh words for his former team, saying the Yankees didn't allow him to be the person he wanted to be during his time with the organization.
"You had to be a cookie-cutter version to be on that team," Frazier said of his rocky five-year tenure with the Yankees, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Maddie Lee. "If not, then you were like a really bad distraction, it seemed like. So I don't miss being told how I had to look for the last five years."
"I mean he had some injury stuff that he had to deal with that cost him a lot of time, especially a lot of time as a young player, where you continue to develop whether it be at the minor-league level orβ in his case, a lot at the big-league level," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
"He missed a lot of time and important reps, by no (fault) of his own, it's just unfortunate. But he's a really talented guy. We certainly wish him well moving forward in his career because we all know he's got a lot of ability."
Along with injury issues, Frazier didn't shy away from drama during his time with the team.
The Georgia native called out the Yankees' facial hair policy last December and also mocked them after he was falsely accused of asking to wear Mickey Mantle's No. 7.
i'll be continuing to wear #77 as well β i requested #7 but unfortunately it was taken, marking that as the first time i ever asked for that number π€£
β Clint Frazier (@clintfrazier) December 7, 2021
The former first-round pick slashed .239/.327/.434 with 29 homers and 97 RBIs in 228 games with the Yankees.
Frazier hit .216/.356/.297 in 19 games for the Cubs this season. He spent over a month on the injured list earlier this year due to appendicitis.
In addition to DFA'ing Frazier, the Cubs placed right-hander Marcus Stroman on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation while activating lefty Wade Miley, catcher Yan Gomes, and infielder Jonathan Villar from the IL. Reliever Chris Martin was also reinstated, while Alfonso Rivas and Michael Rucker were optioned to Triple-A Iowa.