Dodgers designate Scott Elbert for assignment

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers on Tuesday designated relief pitcher Scott Elbert for assignment, potentially ending his 10-year tenure in the organization. He was on the 60-day disabled list and recovering from three elbow surgeries in the last two years.

Elbert last pitched for the Dodgers on Aug. 26, 2012, and has been sidelined for the better part of two years with elbow injuries. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow in September 2012, then a follow-up procedure in January 2013. During his rehab from those procedure, Elbert suffered a tear of his ulnar collateral ligament and had Tommy John surgery in June 2013.

Elbert pitched 15 games on a minor league rehab assignment, one elongated by a toe injury that shut down the left-hander for a week. Elbert's last seven appearances on his rehab assignment came with Triple-A Albuquerque, for whom he allowed one run in 5⅓ innings, with six strikeouts and three walks. He pitched back-to-back outings three times for the Isotopes during that span, including four strikeouts over two scoreless innings on Sunday and Monday in Reno.

The Dodgers drafted Elbert in the first round in 2004. He was 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in 120 relief appearances over parts of five seasons, with 92 strikeouts and 41 walks in 92⅓ innings.

Elbert, who turns 29 on Aug. 13, avoided arbitration with a $575,000 contract for 2014 last November. Through Monday he has four years, 18 days of major league service time.

By designating him for assignment, Elbert is now off the Dodgers' 40-man roster. The team now has 10 days to trade or release Elbert, and the team will have to put him on waivers within eight days. If Elbert clears waivers, the Dodgers could try outright him to Albuquerque, but with over three years of major league service time Elbert has the right to refuse any such assignment if he so chooses.