After another early Yankees exit in the postseason, extending their World Series championship drought to 17 years, the New York Yankees are looking to the offseason as their chance to assemble a roster that could finally add to the franchise’s record 27 titles.
But even as the Yankees decide which players to pursue, and who to cut, a 32-year-old pitcher who chose to opt out of his Yankees contract in June and become a free agent after his release, remains a free agent today even as this year’s World Series pitting the Milwaukee Brewers against the Tampa Bay Rays nears its conclusion.
The pitcher, New York City native Peter Strzelecki, began his MLB career with the Brewers in 2022. Now he’s looking for a team after finding no future with the Yankees.
Strzelecki spent 2026 passing through three organizations. With 97 2/3 major league innings behind him, Strzelecki waits to learn whether any club will offer another contract, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
The New York Yankees signed Strzelecki to a minor league contract on May 23 and assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He arrived days after the Milwaukee Brewers designated him for assignment without letting him pitch. Milwaukee had selected his contract May 16 and reversed course the next day. Strzelecki cleared waivers and, having been outrighted before, had the right to elect free agency, which he did.
Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Florida, he fit as bullpen depth. He was 31, owned a 3.44 ERA across 83 2/3 major league innings from 2022 to 2024, and threw a fastball around 92 mph. He also had no minor league options, so a promotion meant exposing him to waivers again.
His time in the Yankees organization was short. Strzelecki made six appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, totaling 4 2/3 innings, and allowed four earned runs while striking out nine of the 22 batters he faced, according to MLB Trade Rumors. He opted out of the contract in June.
Peter Strzelecki’s Path to the Major Leagues
Strzelecki threw 159.2 innings at South Florida in 2017 and 2018, posting a 3.33 ERA with 164 strikeouts. The Brewers signed him as an undrafted free agent June 17, 2018. Milwaukee called him up May 30, 2022.
“From an undrafted free agent, to a big leaguer in four years,” wrote Billy Mohl, Strzelecki’s former coach at South Florida, on social media, in May 2022.
The right-hander attended Santaluces Community High School and Palm Beach State College before transferring to South Florida. His father, Kevin, died of a heart attack at 52 while Strzelecki was at South Florida, and the pitcher took the mound the day before the funeral, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Peter Strzelecki’s Free Agency Outlook
The Cleveland Guardians designated him for assignment after 2024 and traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Strzelecki re-signed with the Brewers on June 23 — five days after his Yankees release — and went to Triple-A Nashville. He posted a 3.42 ERA with 28 strikeouts and three saves over 26 1/3 innings in 23 appearances before opting out July 22.
The Cardinals signed him three days later, on July 25, and selected his contract July 28. He pitched in eight games for St. Louis, totaling 14 innings with a 5.79 ERA. He went on the 15-day injured list Aug. 27 with right forearm extensor inflammation, two days after a four-run, one-third-inning outing against the Baltimore Orioles. St. Louis designated him for assignment Sept. 16 and outrighted him to Triple-A Memphis two days later. Rather than accept the assignment, Strzelecki elected free agency again.
Strzelecki’s Triple-A numbers in 2026 show a 28.7% strikeout rate and a 4.7% walk rate, though he owns a 4.54 ERA over 34 2/3 innings. He is “likely to settle for another minor league deal in the coming months,” according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Former Yankees Pitcher Still a Free Agent Months After June Contract Opt-Out