The Giants designated veteran second baseman Marco Scutaro for assignment on Wednesday, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster for newly-acquired outfielder Nori Aoki.
The club intends to retain Scutaro and continue working with him through his rehab, CSNBayArea.com has learned.
Scutaro, 39, appeared in five games for the Giants last season as he battled a bad back, collecting one hit in 11 at-bats.
He is entering the final year of a three-year, $20 million contract with San Francisco.
An All-Star in 2013, when he hit .297 with a .357 on-base percentage, Scutaro will always have a place in Giants lore for his 2012 postseason performance. He collected 21 hits and eight RBI on his way to the NLCS MVP award and a World Series title.
Aoki, 33, was introduced by the Giants in a press conference on Tuesday.
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He is a .287 hitter with a .353 on-base percentage over three MLB seasons in Milwaukee and Kansas City.