The Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday designated Sergio Romo for assignment in a corresponding move to reinstating Grant Dayton from the 10-day disabled list. Los Angeles has seven days to attempt to trade Romo or place him on waivers.
Should he clear waivers, Romo could be sent outright to a Minor League affiliate or released. Romo has enough service time to reject an assignment to the Minors. The 34-year-old signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Dodgers during the offseason.
“It’s always a tough decision,” manager Dave Roberts said Thursday. “Sergio is such a professional. Obviously, he’s very good, very accomplished, a three-time champion.”
“We felt this gives us a few days to trade him, find a fit, and if not, for him to land somewhere else. He always wanted to be a Dodger, and he had a chance to live that. “I know he wishes, we wish, the circumstances were different.”
Joining the Dodgers marked a homecoming for the Brawley, Calif., native who otherwise spent the entirety of his career with the San Francisco Giants. Romo figured to factor into the late-inning picture out of the bullpen but never gained traction.
He appeared in 30 games, went 1-1 with a 6.12 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 12 walks and 31 strikeouts in 25 innings. Romo was on track to set a career high with 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings, but his 4.3 walks per nine and 2.5 home runs per nine would be career-worst marks.
Romo last pitched July 8 against the Kansas City Royals, entering in the seventh inning and striking out the lone batter faced. Prior to that he missed time due to what was considered a mild ankle sprain.
The Dodgers reportedly had Romo and Brandon Morrow on the trading block as part of their search to acquire a prominent left-handed relief pitcher ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
