Three days after he was designated for assignment, the Los Angeles Dodgers released Brett Eibner from the organization. He was among the players removed from the 40-man roster last week to clear room for the call-ups of O’Koyea Dickson and Alex Verdugo.
The Dodgers acquired Eibner from the Oakland Athletics last offseason in a move that further strengthened their organizational depth. At best, he was a potential option to help the club overcome their 2016 struggles against left-handed pitching.
Eibner didn’t receive many opportunities and didn’t exactly produce during multiple stretches with the Dodgers. Over 17 games, he batted .182/.250/.364 with two home runs and six RBIs.
In 37 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Eibner hit .231/.289/.385 with four home runs and 14 RBIs. The Dodgers began to try the right-hander as a pitcher, though Eibner never entered a game as a reliever.
The multiple bullpen sessions may have factored into the 28-year-old undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery in August. Prior to that point, the Dodgers shut Eibner down due to a sore arm.
Eibner was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2010 and has Major League experience with three different teams in the past two seasons. Although there’s a long road to recovery ahead, he figures to latch on with some organization prior to next season.
