The Diamondbacks have released right-hander Juan Gutierrez, the club announced via its official Twitter page. Gutierrez only pitched in 20 games for the Snakes this season (posting a 5.40 ERA but an impressive 23 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings) due to elbow and shoulder injuries that eventually required Tommy John surgery in September.

Gutierrez, 28, was part of the trade package that came from Houston to Arizona in December 2009 in exchange for Jose Valverde. In three years with the D'Backs, Gutierrez appeared in 143 games and posted a 4.62 ERA and an 8.4 K/4 rate, though his effectiveness was undermined by his inability to avoid hits (a 8.9 H/9 rate) and the long ball (a 1.1 HR/9 rate). Given the long recovery time associated with Tommy John surgery, we might not hear of Gutierrez signing with a new team until the 2012-13 offseason.

Gutierrez would have been eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter. The righty earned $430.5K with the Diamondbacks last season.