The Marlins parted company on Tuesday with Greg Dobbs, designating the veteran pinch-hitter and infielder for assignment, and reinstated infielder Ed Lucas from the disabled list.
Dobbs, who is under contract for $1.7 million after working out a one-year deal with the Marlins last season, had just one hit in his 13 pinch-at bats and had not seen any action in the field. Dobbs' only pinch-hit came in the season-opener against Colorado. He ranks fourth with 32 pinch-hits on the Marlins' all-time list.
Dobbs and his agent negotiated his extension with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, reportedly without the knowledge of then president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and his staff.
Lucas, who landed on the disabled list at the tail end of spring training with a broken hand, had played in three rehab games for Single A Jupiter, going 6 for 14.
Lucas was immediately inserted into the starting lineup. He'll start tonight at second base and bat second.
Marlins general manager Dan Jennings said the decision to designate Dobbs came down to his lack of versatility compared to Lucas.
"We just felt like that, at where he (Dobbs) was at this time in his career, and us needing the versatility to have guys who can play multiple positions, it was important for us to have at this point," Jennings said.
Jennings called Dobbs a "great guy, the best in the league at what he did, which was pinch-hit."
"It's never a good thing when you have to move a player, certainly someone who has meant so much to us as Dobbs has," Jennings said. "But it was time for us as an organization to make that move and Ed was ready to go."
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Jacob Turner will be reinstated from the disabled list on Saturday and start that night against the Dodgers.
Turner, who has been on the DL with a shoulder strain, worked seven strong innings in his final rehab start Monday for Single A Jupiter.
"It all feels normal," Turner said of his shoulder, which he injured while taking practice swings in the batting cage.
With Turner's return to the rotation, Kevin Slowey will move back to the bullpen.
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