CHICAGO -- Dixon Machado, who started the season as the Detroit Tigers' everyday second baseman, was designated for assignment on Wednesday night.
Machado lost his job to the hot-hitting Niko Goodrum in recent weeks and had not played in a game since Friday.
To replace Machado, the Tigers recalled infielder Ronny Rodriguez from Triple-A Toledo.
In a separate move, the Tigers optioned reliever Warwick Saupold to Toledo and selected the contract of hard-throwing right-hander Victor Alcantara. Alcantara fills the vacancy on the 40-man roster created when Machado was designated.
Machado, 26, has been in the Tigers organization for nearly a decade since signing with the club as a teenager out of Venezuela.