LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers did some more roster trimming on Tuesday, with outfielder Roger Bernadina electing to become a free agent. That leaves 44 players on the 40-man roster, including five players on the 60-day disabled list.
Bernadina, like pitcher Stephen Fife on Monday, cleared outright waivers, but because Bernadina has over three years of service time (he has five years, 87 days) he has the right to decline any assignment to the minor leagues. Bernadina exercised that right, and is now a free agent.
He began his year with the Reds, and actually accepted an outright assignment to the minors on May 5, only to be called back up one day later when outfielder Jay Bruce was hurt. Cincinnati released Bernadina on June 27, and he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers on July 8.
Bernadina, 30, hit .246/.380/.351 in 23 games with Triple-A Albuquerque.
Bernardina was called up for outfield and pinch running depth in September, and was 2-for-7 with a home run, four RBI and was hit by two pitches in nine games. Among the 41 Dodgers to bat at least once in 2014, Bernardina's 1.159 OPS was tops.
He would have been eligible for salary arbitration had he remained on the 40-man roster.
Last week, first baseman Clint Robinson and pitcher Justin Germano also elected free agency, though neither were on the 40-man roster. Robinson was 3-for-9 with a walk in nine games in his brief stint with the Dodgers, including his first major league hit on June 30. Robinson, 29, hit .312/.401/.534 with 18 home runs and 31 doubles in 119 games in Triple-A.
Germano was acquired for cash from Texas on Aug. 15, and was 1-1 with a 9.88 in three games, including two starts, for Albuquerque.