San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro. Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco Giants designated second baseman Marco Scutaro for assignment on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Scutaro is recovering from back surgery that could be career-ending. He underwent fusion in December in Miami.
Doctors said it will be four to six months before they know whether Scutaro will be able to resume playing. In the meantime, the Giants plan to keep working with Scutaro on his rehab.
Scutaro is scheduled to make $6 million in 2015, the final year of a three-year, $20 million contract he signed in 2012.
The 2012 National League Championship Series MVP played in only five games last season because of the bad back.
The Giants made the move with Scutaro to help clear room on their 40-man roster for outfielder Nori Aoki after he finalized a one-year, $4.7 million deal this week.
In a 13-year career with the Giants, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies, Scutaro has a .277 batting average with 77 home runs and 509 RBIs.
After joining the Giants in 2012 from the Rockies, Scutaro batted .362 with three homers and 44 RBIs in 61 regular-season games. In the NCLS against the St. Louis Cardinals, he tied a record with 14 hits and became the first player in history with two or more hits in six games.
