July 1, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Milwaukee Brewers have called up left-hander Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) to start their game tonight against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Zastryzny’s Canada Day promotion was first announced on the triple-A Nashville Sounds Twitter account this afternoon.

His start tonight will be just the third of his big league career and his first since August 24, 2023 when he got the nod for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs.

In 28 relief appearances in triple-A this season, Zastryzny is 4-0 with a 3.18 ERA and has 38 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings

Last season, the 32-year-old southpaw posted a 4.79 ERA in a career-high 21 big league appearances for the Pirates and recorded a win in relief for the Bucs on Opening Day.

The 6-foot-3 Zastryzny was a second-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2013. He recorded a 4.41 ERA in 18 relief appearances with the Cubs from 2016 to 2018 and earned a World Series ring in 2016.

From 2019 to 2022, he pitched in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels organizations.

He also started for Canada against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic in March 2023.

In all, Zastryzny has pitched in parts of 11 professional seasons.

He will be the 15th player that was born in Canada to suit up in the big leagues this season.

Earlier in the day, the Brewers sent infielder Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) down to the triple-A Sounds after his second stretch with the club this season. In the five games during his most recent promotion, Black went 2-for-11.

Overall, the 23-year-old Toronto Mets alum is 8-for-34 (.235 batting average) with four walks and three stolen bases in 12 big league games this season.