Naturally, Matt Szczur was thrilled to have a part, however compartmentalized, in the Cubs ending their 108-year World Series drought. Of course, the 27-year-old outfielder never made it onto any of their postseason rosters so news that Chicago was designating him for assignment brought a smile to his face.

Perhaps a more substantial role was awaiting him … somewhere.

“I loved being with the Cubs but I knew I needed to get out,” Szczur said after arriving Tuesday morning from Chicago. “My first reaction was I was happy to be honest. I was excited. I wasn’t playing very much. I loved the guys. They were awesome, but for my career, this is where I needed to be.”

Indeed, playing time in Chicago proved a rare occurrence.


Jason Heyward is being paid $28 million to roam right field when healthy. They’re committed long-term to Kyle Schwarber in left. The Cubs brought in veteran Jon Jay to play all three spots. Infielders Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist even bounce out there on occasion.

That’s left just 23 plate appearances for the right-handed Szczur over 15 games despite making the team’s opening day roster. A year after fashioning a .259/.312/.400 batting line over a career-high 200 plate appearances, Szczur was just 4-for-19 with a double, three RBIs, two walks and four strikeouts in limited duty before the Padres acquired him Monday for minor leaguer Justin Hancock.

“I know I’ll have an opportunity to play at least more than I was doing in Chicago,” Szczur said before debuting with a groundout as a pinch-hitter and playing left field in Tuesday’s 11-0 loss. “That’s the plus side.”

A fifth-round draft pick in 2010 out of Villanova – where he played baseball and football – Szczur hit as many as 10 homers in 109 games at two A-ball stops in 2011. He swiped a career-high 42 bases in 113 games the next year while advancing to Double-A and is a career .281/.346/.386 hitter across parts of seven minor league seasons.


Nevertheless, the Cubs advancing their rebuild efforts never led to much of an opportunity to stretch his legs in the majors. In San Diego, he’ll get the opportunity to do just that in all three outfield spots while providing experience to a position player group short on veterans outside shortstop Erick Aybar (33) and first baseman Wil Myers (26).

Szczur is excited to do both – in his way.

“I’m not really a spoken leader,” Szczur said. “I try to lead by example. I would try to lead by hustling, by making plays. That, for me, would be the best thing I can do.”

DH plans

With with Jabari Blash optioned to Triple-A El Paso before the game, the DH is certainly an opportunity to both get Szczur in the lineup this week and rest overworked regulars. Padres manager Andy Green said both Yangervis Solarte and Wil Myers are in line for DH duty over the next five days, while Cory Spangenberg will likely bounce to second base for a game or two.


Manuel Margot is also in line for a day off as Szczur has the athleticism to cover center field. The 22-year-old rookie has played in 34 games, tops in the NL.

“I don’t think we have anyone sitting on the bench that’s a prototypical DH,” Green said. “So we’ll bounce it around.”

A ‘listless’ day

The Padres were down 5-0 before stepping into the batter’s box Tuesday. Former USD standout A.J. Griffin took over from there, scattering four hits — all singles — and one walk while striking out four in his first complete shutout since his his pre-Tommy John days with the Athletics.

“It was listless today offensively,” Green said. “I think what he did well on the mound was slow us down with that mid-60s curveball. The next thing you know we’re not on the fastball. As a team when a pitcher is attacking us that way, we have a tendency to slow our bodies down to acclimate to the curveball and then the fastball gets right by us. That’s been a consistent problem for us and he exposed it.”


Notable

Spangenberg extended his hitting streak to a career-high eight games with two of San Diego’s four hits off Griffin. He is hitting .298 (14-for-47) since he was recalled from Triple-A El Paso.

Blash was 3-for-29 with one homer, one RBI and nine walks against 15 strikeouts in 38 plate appearances spread across 14 games with the Padres.

Tuesday’s crowd of 14,224 was the lowest announced turnout since May 5, 2014 against the Royals (14,089).

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jeff.sanders@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutSanders