Cubs cut former closer Alzolay, select contract of Canadian OF Caissie

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs cut former closer Adbert Alzolay on Tuesday after he had Tommy John surgery late last season.

Alzolay and minor league outfielder Brennen Davis were designated for assignment. Chicago selected the contracts of outfielder Owen Caissie from Triple-A Iowa and infielder Ben Cowles from Double-A Tennessee.

Caissie, of Burlington, Ont., hit .278 with 19 home runs in 127 games at Triple-A last season and was 47th on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list entering the 2024 campaign. Caissie participated in Team Canada's camp for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but did not make the final roster.

The 29-year-old Alzolay had surgery on his right elbow in late August and is expected to miss all or most of the 2025 season. He struggled early this year and experienced a setback trying to rehabilitate the injury. The right-hander had four saves in nine chances and finished 1-4 with a 4.67 ERA in 18 games.

Alzolay had 22 saves in 25 opportunities in 2023 — but none after Aug. 29, when his forearm problem first surfaced. He appeared in only five more games that season, finishing 2-5 with a 2.67 ERA.

Davis was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2018 amateur draft. He has a .238 batting average, 48 home runs and 165 RBIs in 347 career minor league games.

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