Brewers Request Release Waivers On Juan Francisco

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

It’s official.

After the team informed Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay that they had made the Opening Day roster, the Milwaukee Brewers have requested release waivers on 1B/3B Juan Francisco. This will give Francisco his unconditional release.

Despite Francisco having a great offensive spring training (.346 average with three home runs), the Brewers opted to keep left-handed hitting Overbay because of his defensive prowess. General manager Doug Melvin said if the Brewers had a designated hitter, Francisco would still be on the team.

“If we had the DH in our league, Juan would probably be on our team,” Melvin said via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “There’s no doubt he’s got potential to hit for power. We tried him at first base to see what he could do. American League teams can make room for a bat like that. We can’t.”

No team claimed him when the Brewers asked for outright waivers on Francisco, which made requesting release waivers the only option. Francisco, 26, will now have an opportunity to catch on with another team.

The Brewers will pay $337,500 of Francisco’s $1.35 million salary in 2014.