Yankees alert: Tigers release Brennan Boesch

George Sipple, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Outfielder Brennan Boesch has been released by the Detroit Tigers.

"This morning, we have given Brennan Boesch his unconditional release from the organization," Tigers president Dave Dombrowski told reporters today. Manager Jim Leyland "and I just spoke to him and explained the situation to him. As we've gone through this, Andy Dirks, we feel, has won the job to be our left fielder."

By releasing him today, the Tigers owe Boesch just one-sixth of his $2.3 million contract: just under $400,000.

Boesch is available to any team via waivers, though that club would assume $1.9 million of his salary if he is claimed and makes the team. He will be a free agent if he passes through waivers.

He could immediately interest other outfield-needy teams, such as New York's Yankees and Mets. The Yankees on Tuesday claimed outfielder Ben Francisco off waivers from the Indians. Boesch could supply a short-term boost as outfielder Curtis Granderson and first baseman Mark Teixeira recover from arm injuries that will sideline them into May.

Outfielder Juan Rivera has been working at first base for the Yankees, leaving a possible vacancy in the outfield.

Dombrowski said he had spoken to multiple teams about trading Boesch during the off-season and this spring.

"We could wait, but we just didn't see a fit with our big-league club," Dombrowski said. "I think we're trying to do him a little favor."

Boesch hit .240 with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs last season and was left off the Tigers' postseason roster.

In three seasons with the Tigers, he hit .259 with 42 home runs and 175 RBI.

"I still think he has tremendous upside," Dombrowski said. "If I'm somewhere else, in the sense that you were looking for a guy to play some outfield and hit DH, and you knew you could give him some at-bats, he's still got a lot of upside. But you just run out of the time to give him here. We're at a different point. We're not in a development stage, in that regard. We're in a point of trying to win right now."

Boesch was not immediately available for comment.

Sipple writes for the Detroit Free Press

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