No More Elian Encounters, Brewers Claim Herrera From Waivers

I guess there will be no more Elian Encounters in Dodger Blue. The Milwaukee Brewers have claimed utility guy Elian Herrera off of waivers this afternoon from the Dodgers. The Brewers made the announcement earlier today. I didn’t even know Herrera had been put on waivers, or I had forgotten. Either way Herrera has been the forgotten man for the Dodgers since he debuted for the Boys in Blue back in 2012.

Herrera has been so forgotten that he has fallen so far down the depth chart that this isn’t much of a big deal. I guess with guys like Skip Schumaker, Scott Van Slyke, the Dodgers feel like they don’t need him any longer. Although it’s kind of sad to see him go.

Elian Herrera-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The 28-year-old infielder/outfielder was signed by the Dodgers as a free agent back in 2003, but didn’t make his big league debut until 2012. Herrera batted .251 (47 for 187) with a .340 OBP, one home run, and 17 runs driven in, in 214 plate appearances in 2012 for the Dodgers. Herrera played in 67 games for the Dodgers that year, but played in only four games for the big club in 2013.

Herrera spent most of the 2013 season with the Dodger’s triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes. Herrera played in 108 games for Albuquerque this season, batting .282 with seven home runs, 43 runs batted in, and 16 stolen bases in 476 plate appearances. Herrera played all three outfield positions, and three of the four infield positions for the Isotopes in 2013, but made just eight plate appearances for the Dodgers during the 2013 season.

The switch-hitting Herrera is a career .285 minor league hitter, with 26 home runs, and a .757 OPS across eight minor league seasons, and 665 minor league games. The move brings the Dodger’s 40 man roster down to 32 players.