The Dodgers moved quickly to erase some of their bad 2011 memories Tuesday, declining options on Casey Blake and Jon Garland and outrighting Eugenio Velez to Triple-A.
Blake’s option was worth $6 million, while Garland would have made $8 million.
Blake played in just 63 games in the final season of a three-year, $17.5 million deal and hit .252/.342/.371 with four homers and 26 RBI in 202 at-bats. His future in baseball is in doubt after neck surgery, and at age 38, he may not be able to land a starting job even if he recovers well.
Garland, who had made 32 starts in nine straight seasons, was limited to nine starts this year by a shoulder injury that required surgery in July. He was just 1-5 with a 4.33 ERA before going down, and his status for the beginning of next season is also in question.
Velez made history this year thanks a 46-AB hitless streak that is still ongoing. He’ll join Blake and Garland in free agency and likely catch on with another club on a minor league deal.
