Cubs release veteran outfielder Shane Victorino
The Cubs announced Monday the team released veteran outfielder Shane Victorino from his minor league contract. Victorino had been with the organization since late February.
Victorino spent the first month of the baseball season in Arizona at the Cubs facility. Victorino prepared for the season in extended Spring Training after missing most of March with a strained left calf injury. Victorino reported to Triple-A Iowa on May 6.
In nine games for the I-Cubs, Victorino played left and right field and hit .233/.324/.367 with two doubles and a triple for a .690 OPS. Victorino was placed on the temporarily inactive list on May 19 and was officially released Monday.
Jed Hoyer told the beat writers Monday that Victorino is “Major League ready.” The Cubs did not have a place for him on the 25-man roster “with the emergence of Matt Szczur.”
“We really like Matt and think he’s a key contributor, and as a result, Shane didn’t really have a fit,” Jed Hoyer said to the beat writers Monday. “Given his career and the fact he’s Major League ready, having him sit down there and bide his time didn’t make a lot of sense. He’ll find a job, he should find a job. We really enjoyed having him.”
Prior to Monday night’s game, Matt Szczur was hitting .353/.421/.559 in 23 games this season with one double, two home runs and a .980 OPS.