Cubs’ Clint Frazier criticizes Yankees and gets DFA’d ahead of series against old team

The Chicago Cubs designated outfielder Clint Frazier for assignment Friday ahead of a series against his former team, the New York Yankees.

The Cubs’ decision came after Frazier praised Chicago for allowing him to be himself while criticizing some of the Yankees’ policies, including a no-facial-hair rule.

“‘I like it here,” Frazier told the Chicago Sun-Times Thursday. “Certainly don’t miss some of the things over there. And I’m really enjoying the way that this clubhouse has maneuvered. It seems like there’s a lot of guys in here that are just accepting of everyone. And it’s been really good for me.

“And you had to be a cookie-cutter version to be on that team. If not, then you were, like, a really bad distraction, it seemed like. So I don’t miss being told how I had to look for the last five years.”

But the Cubs decided to DFA Frazier before the series.

“We haven’t been able to give him real opportunities to watch him succeed right now,” Cubs manager David Ross said Friday. “Tough decisions. I think we think a lot of Clint and his ability.”

Chicago could now trade him, release him or send him outright to the minors if he clears waivers.

“He was upset. Emotional, would be a good word,” Ross added. “I think he likes it here a lot. I think he believes in his baseball skills, which we do, too. But it’s just one of those really tough decisions we have to make sometimes.”

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Frazier was a highly touted prospect in the Yankees’ organization but never played consistently enough for the team. In 228 games, he hit .239 with a .761 OPS and 29 home runs. He signed a one-year deal with the Cubs in the offseason.

The emergence of rookie Christopher Morel didn’t help Frazier’s stock this season either. Frazier was hitting .216 with an RBI in 19 games for Chicago.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.