Strop asked for his release and it was granted. The 35-year-old right-hander is currently in the Dominican Republic tending to a personal matter, but he'll presumably try to latch on with a new organization at some point in the near future. He's logged only 4 1/3 innings at the MLB level since the beginning of 2020.

Strop tossed a pair of scoreless innings for the Cubs earlier this week. The 35-year-old veteran righty didn't have to be added to the 40-man roster because to a roster exemption created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he'll need to be added before he can be brought back up again.

Per a new roster exemption this year, a player can be temporarily added to a team's 40-man roster to replace a player going on the COVID-19 injured list and then later removed without going through the waiver process. Strop will help out a bullpen that's without three members.

Strop has been away from the club since the infraction, but he didn't test positive for COVID-19 and will now rejoin his teammates. The veteran reliever signed a minor league deal to return to the Cubs in February after missing most of 2020 with a groin injury.