Former L.A. Dodger Alex Guerrero Signs Deal to Play in Japan
By Travis Koch
Cuban defector Alex Guerrero has officially signed to play baseball in Japan. Guerrero’s time with the Dodgers did not go according to plan. He will now attempt an alternative route to success.
Just two years after signing a four-year, $28 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Alex Guerrero has completed a deal to play in Japan. Guerrero will play for the Chunichi Dragons. The deal is worth $1.3 million for one year, per TrueBlueLA.
Guerrero’s brief time in L.A. was a disappointment to say the least. He played in only 117 games with the Dodgers in two seasons. The team gave Guerrero 106 games to prove himself in 2015. However, he hit only .231/.261/.434 with 11 home runs in that time span. A knee injury prevented him from any playing time in 2016, and ultimately the Dodgers decided the Guerrero project had elapsed.
The team no longer saw him in their long-term plans and decided to designate Guerrero for assignment. A clause in Guerrero’s contract prevented him from being optioned to the minor leagues. Therefore, the Dodgers were forced to either trade him or release him. Alex Guerrero was officially released from the Dodgers on June 8.
Guerrero was well overshadowed by everyday third baseman Justin Turner. As a result, Guerrero’s primary position was out of play. The other option for Guerrero was left field, but the Dodgers liked what they saw from Andrew Toles at the time. At the end of the day, a player has to hit if he wants to play. Guerrero did not hit, and he did not stay healthy. The 30-year-old Cuban defector did not live up to expectations.
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Now he’ll spend 2017 in Japan, but he’s only under contract for one season. A return to MLB is a definite possibility. Plenty of major leaguers have gone the Japanese route. Some thrive in Japan and opt to stay there. Some thrive in Japan and choose to return to the states. It will be interesting to see what becomes of Alex Guerrero. MLB hardly got a look at him, but perhaps some success overseas will jolt his professional baseball career.