SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced they have acquired outfielder Matt Szczur from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitcher Justin Hancock. In order to create room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred LHP Buddy Baumann to the 60-day disabled list. The club will make a corresponding move to the 25-man roster once Szczur reports. Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller made the announcement.
Szczur, 27, has hit .211 (4-for-19) with one double, three RBI and two runs scored in 15 games for the Cubs this season. In his first full season in the majors in 2016, Szczur hit .259 (48-for-185) with nine doubles, a triple, five home runs and 24 RBI in 107 games for Chicago. His 12 pinch hits last season tied for sixth-most in Major League Baseball, as he hit .261 (12-for-46) with a double, a triple and five RBI in a pinch-hitting role. Originally selected by the Cubs as a fifth-round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, he has hit .243 (82-for-338) with 17 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 40 RBI and 43 runs scored with four stolen bases in 202 games played over parts of four Major League seasons for Chicago (2014-17). Over parts of seven minor league seasons with the Cubs (2010-16), he owned a .281 batting average (613-for-2180) with 113 doubles, 19 triples, 26 home runs, 195 RBI and 362 runs scored with 140 stolen bases in 562 minor league games.      
Hancock, 26, has gone 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA (9 ER, 13.0 IP) and 11 strikeouts against seven walks with a .327 opponents' batting average in 10 relief appearances for Double-A San Antonio. The right-hander was originally selected by the Padres in the ninth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft and has gone 24-29 with a 3.91 ERA (209 ER, 481.2 IP), 356 strikeouts against 204 walks and a .280 opponents' batting average in 116 total games, 90 starts, over parts of seven minor league seasons with the Padres (2011-17).