Dodgers release Alex Guerrero

LOS ANGELES -- The inevitable end became reality on Wednesday, with Alex Guerrero released by the Dodgers, officially ending his tenure with the club.

Guerrero was designated for assignment on May 31 after completing all 20 days of a minor league rehabilitation assignment, removing him from the 40-man roster.

A shortstop in Cuba, Guerrero signed as a second baseman but hasn't yet played either position in the majors. He played third base and left field for the Dodgers and hit .224/.251/.414 in 117 games between 2014-2015 with the Dodgers. He hasn't played in the majors this season.

Complicating his tenure in Los Angeles was that after the first year (2014), he could not be sent to the minors without his consent. He amassed negative Wins Above Replacement as measured by both Baseball Reference (-0.6) and FanGraphs (-0.5) during his tenure in Los Angeles.

Guerrero, 29, has roughly $3.2 million remaining on his $5 million salary in 2016, plus another $5 million due in 2017 to complete his four-year, $28 million contract signed before the 2014 season, so it's easy to see why no team claimed Guerrero on waivers.

Any potential trade for Guerrero would have been further complicated by his ability to opt out of his contract after the season, though even that seems unlikely because, honestly, what team is going to pay $5 million for Alex Guerrero?

The answer, of course, is the Dodgers, who are on the hook for his remaining salary. Should he latch on to another team through the end of 2017, most certainly on a minimum salary deal, any major league money he earns would offset what the Dodgers owe him.