Dodgers outright Scott Alexander, Andy Burns, and Jimmie Sherfy off 40-man roster

The Dodgers trimmed three off the 40-man roster on Friday. On a day of several waiver claims across MLB, Scott Alexander, Andy Burns, and Jimmie Sherfy all cleared waivers and were sent outright to the minors.

That leaves 37 players on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster in the first week of the offseason.

Ten players were claimed off waivers in MLB on Friday, including the Twins nabbing old friend Jharel Cotton from the Rangers.

Alexander was eligible for salary arbitration this winter, after making $1 million in an injury-plagued 2021. The veteran left-hander was limited to just 18 games and 15⅓ innings this season, with a 2.93 ERA, 4.80 FIP, eight strikeouts and four walks. Left shoulder inflammation cost Alexander 122 total games on two long injured list stints, the final trip ending his season.

With over five years of major league service time, Alexander has the right to refuse the outright assignment and can become a free agent.

Andy Burns returned to the majors for the first time in five years in 2021, after stints in the Korean Baseball Organization and the Australian Baseball League. The 30-year-old utility infielder was 3-for-11 with three walks (.273/.467/.364) in nine games with the Dodgers, and even pitched an inning. Burns hit .232/.361/.414 with 19 extra-base hits in 54 games in Triple-A Oklahoma City, and missed two months with a right wrist fracture.

Burns was a late add to the Dodgers postseason roster, getting pinch-hit at-bats in the final two games of the NLCS as an injury replacement for Justin Turner. To make room on the 40-man roster for Burns for those two games, the Dodgers designated Edwin Uceta for assignment, with the pitcher claimed by the D-backs a few games later.

Sherfy had the distinction of being the only player to see action in 2021 with the 107-win Giants and 106-win Dodgers. Claimed off waivers by the Dodgers on July 13, the 29-year-old Sherfy pitched in four games for Los Angeles, allowing three runs (two earned) in 4⅓ innings, with three strikeouts before missing the final 63 games of the season with right elbow inflammation.

Though neither Burns nor Sherfy have the requisite service time, both have been previously outrighted in their careers, and have the right to elect free agency rather than accept the minor league assignment.