Szczur announced Monday via his personal Twitter account that he has elected to retire from professional baseball.
A fifth-round pick of the Cubs in the 2010 first-year player draft, Szczur reached the big leagues for the first time in 2014 and spent parts of five seasons in the big leagues with Chicago and San Diego. The 32-year-old outfielder hadn't appeared in the majors since 2018 and posted a .618 OPS at the Triple-A level in the St. Louis organization in 2021, so his decision to step away from the game doesn't come as a major surprise. He retires with a .231/.312/.355 slash line and 12 home runs over 667 career big-league plate appearances. Szczur won his lone World Series ring as a member of the Cubs in 2016.
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Matt Szczur: Released by Cardinals
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Szczur was released by the Cardinals on Monday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Szczur hasn't appeared in the majors since 2018, and he was unable to reach the big leagues after he hit .186 in 30 games with Triple-A Memphis to begin the year. The 31-year-old will now search for a new club going forward, but he could have to settle for another minor-league deal.
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Cardinals' Matt Szczur: Demoted to minor-league camp
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Szczur was reassigned to minor-league camp Thursday.
Szczur dealt with a quadriceps injury that kept him sidelined for two weeks in the middle of March. He's since returned to Grapefruit league action but will not make the team as a non-roster invitee.
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Cardinals' Matt Szczur: Dealing with quad issue
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Szczur has not seen Grapefruit League action since March 2 due to a left quadriceps injury, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
The non-roster invitee's chances of sticking past spring training are naturally taking a hit with his extended absence, although Szczur at least has 363 games on his big-league resume. The 31-year-old was hitless over four at-bats before going down, but manager Mike Shildt seemed to indicate Friday the issue may not linger much longer. "Very light quad issue, but significant enough to keep him out for a week," Shildt said. "Somewhat [of a] precaution, obviously some of it necessary."
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Cardinals' Matt Szczur: Invited to Cardinals camp
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Szczur signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Saturday as a non-roster invitee, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Szczur was released by the Phillies prior to the 2020 season after serving as a non-roster invitee during spring training. He'll be invited to the Cardinals' big-league camp in 2021 and will attempt to return to the majors for the first time since 2018.
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Matt Szczur: Released by Philadelphia
Rotowire
Szczur was released by the Phillies on Sunday, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports.
The 30-year-old signed with the Phillies as a non-roster invitee in December, but he registered only one official at-bat before the shutdown of spring training. Szczur was limited to 44 games in 2019 due to a quadriceps injury and had a .322/.390/.577 slash line at Triple-A Reno.
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Phillies' Matt Szczur: Heading to Philadelphia
Rotowire
Szczur agreed to a minor-league deal which includes an invitation to major-league spring training with the Phillies on Friday, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports reports.
The South Jersey native (and two-sport Villanova star) has a resume that should get him a look as the fifth outfielder but little more than that, as he's hit .231/.312/.355 over parts of five seasons in the majors. He didn't appear in the big leagues at all last season, spending much of his season sidelined with a quadriceps injury and hitting .322/.390/.577 in 44 games for Triple-A Reno when healthy.
Szczur was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday.
Szczur signed a minor-league deal with Arizona in December but did little to earn a roster spot this spring with a .205/.222/.295 slash line in 44 at-bats. The 29-year-old saw 84 plate appearances with the Padres last season and posted a lackluster .532 OPS with 24 strikeouts.
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Diamondbacks' Matt Szczur: Inks minor-league deal
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Szczur signed a minor-league contract with the Diamondbacks on Friday.
As a part of the deal, Szczur has received an invitation to big-league camp, and he's been assigned to Triple-A Reno. He appeared in 57 games for the Padres a season ago, posting a .187/.265/.267 slash line with six RBI and three stolen bases.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Remains with organization
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Szczur has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A El Paso.
Szczur was designated for assignment last Sunday, but passed through waivers and will remain with the organization. With the four-man rotation of Wil Myers, Manuel Margot, Hunter Renfroe and Travis Jankowski currently holding down the San Diego outfield, there was no reason to keep Szczur on the 40-man, especially after he hit just .187 through 57 games this season. He'll need to turn things around in the minors to have a chance at a September callup.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Formally dropped from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Padres designated Szczur for assignment Sunday.
With Wil Myers returning from the disabled list a little over a week earlier, Szczur became the fifth outfielder for San Diego and had seen limited action of late. The Padres decided Szczur's roster spot would be better used on a reserve infielder, so Carlos Asuaje was called up from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. Szczur will likely report to El Paso if he clears waivers within the next few days.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Will be DFA'd Sunday
Rotowire
Szczur will be designated for assignment prior to Sunday's contest against the Pirates, MLB.com's AJ Cassavell reports.
With Wil Myers returning from the disabled list recently and several better-performing outfielders on the squad, Szczur will be removed from the Padres' major-league plans. The move will open a spot on the 25-man roster for infielder Carlos Asuaje, who will be called up prior to Sunday's contest. Szczur slashed .187/.265/.267 in 84 plate appearances as a reserve outfielder this season. The Padres will have seven days from when the transaction officially takes place to either trade, release or place him on irrevocable waivers.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Hits first homer Wednesday
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Szczur went 1-for-2 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 9-4 loss to the Giants.
Getting a start in right field and hitting seventh, the 28-year-old connected on his first homer of the season. Even with Jose Pirela seeing more time at second base and Wil Myers (oblique) and Hunter Renfroe (elbow) sidelined, Szczur hasn't been able to work his way into consistent at-bats, and his lackluster .250/.294/.375 slash line is a big reason why.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Showing lack of power
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Szczur went 0-for-3 in Sunday's loss to the Diamondbacks.
Szczur is slashing .250/.286/.250 through 20 at-bats and has yet to record an RBI in 2018. He'll have to impress his manager if he wants to see more opportunities at the plate, as he's currently in a bench role. Szczur figures to see the field mainly when one of San Diego's starting outfielders needs a day off.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Makes Opening Day roster
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Szczur has been informed that he will break camp with the team, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Szczur will be utilized as a reserve outfielder for the Padres heading into Opening Day, while Travis Jankowski goes back down to Triple-A El Paso to start the season. During 119 games between San Diego and the Cubs last season, Szczur slashed .226/.350/.354 with three home runs and 18 RBI.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Returns to lineup Friday
Rotowire
Szczur (oblique) will play right field and bat ninth in Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Szczur was finally able to make his spring debut earlier this week and will now earn his first Cactus League start during Friday's contest. The outfielder is aiming for a spot on the major-league roster and will need a couple solid, pain-free weeks in order to show the Padres that he can be dependable in a part-time role.
Szczur (oblique) could appear in his first spring training game Tuesday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Szczur has failed to take the field so far this spring because of an oblique injury. The Padres are easing him along in an attempt to allow the 28-year-old outfielder to fully heal. Szczur is currently out of minor-league options and is looking to make the Opening Day roster by nabbing a backup role. He slashed .226/.350/.354 in 195 at-bats last season.
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Padres' Matt Szczur: Battling oblique issue
Rotowire
Szczur is dealing with an oblique injury and remains sidelined from any Cactus League outings, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
The club is taking it slowly with Szczur in order to prevent any sort of setback. There doesn't seem to be a timetable for his return at the moment, but it appears likely that he will be back on the field in the near future. Expect an update on his status early next week.
