Update: May 31, 2016 at 4:30 PM (PT) – Alex Guerrero has been designated for assignment by the Dodgers.

It’s a day that has been long in coming and one that the Dodgers have long dreaded, although you probably won’t get anyone in the crowded Dodgers front office to admit this. It’s the day on which the Dodgers must officially decide on what to do with oft troubled utility infielder / outfielder / pinch-hitter extraordinaire Alex Guerrero, and they have only themselves to blame for putting Scott Boras’ gun to their heads.

Oh sure, you can argue that it was former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and not them who agreed to the ludicrous four-year / $28 million contract which runs through the 2017 season – a contract that includes a clause specifically stating that the 29-year-old Las Tunas, Cuba native “may not be optioned to minors without permission after 2014” – something that Guerrero said over a year ago he would not agree to.

Guerrero had an incredible string of pinch-hit home runs during the 2015 season, including this one against the Atlanta Braves on May 25. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although the new Dodgers brass was able to dance around Guerrero’s contract clause by placing him on the disabled list out of spring training (for an alleged knee injury) and subsequently assigning him to Triple-A Oklahoma City for a rehab assignment, this past Sunday marked the 20th and final day of that assignment as set forth in the MLB / MLBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement. But because Monday was technically a travel day for the Dodgers (even though they played), the actual decision must – and will – occur on Tuesday.

“I should get word here shortly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters prior to Monday’s game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. “But I don’t know what his fate is.”

Although Roberts says that he doesn’t know what Guerrero’s fate is – at least not publicly – the Dodgers have very few options available to them, none of which are favorable to the club. They could trade Guerrero to another team, but his ‘cannot be assigned to the minors without his approval’ clause would go with him, thus making him an unattractive (and unlikely) trade candidate. They could also come up with another mystery injury for which his rehab clock would be reset, but there is zero chance that Boras would allow this to go through unchallenged. That said, Guerrero certainly hasn’t helped his trade chances any with his less-than-stellar .136 / .162 / .197 / .359 slash-line in 68 rehab plate appearances.

This leaves the Dodgers with two more likely scenarios – they could place Guerrero on waivers and hope that some other team is willing to claim him within the eight-day waiver window and inherit his risky and very unpopular contract (which is highly unlikely to happen); or they can simply cut their losses by designating Guerrero for assignment and eat the $10 million still owed to him through the 2017 season. Like I said, very few options and none that favor the club.

While it’s hard to feel sorry for a guy who is now a multimillionaire regardless of what the Dodgers do with him, it’s hard to overlook the fact that the extremely quiet Cuban defector was within mere days of making his MLB debut when banished catcher Miguel Olivo derailed Guerrero’s path to the big leagues by taking a bite out of his left ear during a dugout scuffle that left Guerrero disfigured for life. It’s also hard to forget Guerrero’s incredible string of pinch-hit home runs during the 2015 season – including a grand slam – when he finally did make it to the majors.

Regardless of what the Dodgers ultimately decide to do with Guerrero – an announcement that will most likely happen prior to tonight’s game with the Cubs – we certainly wish Alex Guerrero nothing but the best of luck; something that hasn’t come easy for him thus far in his brief MLB career.