Perhaps Jose Bautista should become a full-time designated hitter

After being released by the Atlanta Braves, is it time for Jose Bautista to return to the American League?

There was a time not long ago when Jose Bautista was one of the most-feared power hitters in baseball. In 2010 and 2011, Bautista, who is nicknamed “Joey Bats,” led MLB in home runs with 54 and 43, respectively.

But those days are long gone. After last season, the Blue Jays decided not to bring Bautista back, who is 37 years old. After going unsigned throughout the entire offseason, the Atlanta Braves decided to give Bautista an opportunity by offering him a minor league contract.

The Braves gave him a chance to start at third base in early May. Bautista appeared in only 12 games for the Braves, hitting two homers in 35 at-bats with an average of .143, before being released by Atlanta on May 20.

Ultimately, it came down to the Braves wanting to give 24-year-old Johan Camargo a chance at third base, and therefore no longer had much use for the much older Bautista, who was struggling to get it together at the plate.

"“As we looked at it, knowing there aren’t going to be at-bats for Jose, that’s not fair to him,” said Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos, according to an ESPN report. “We talked to [Bautista] last night, and just talked it over with him. We agreed that if there wasn’t going to be at-bats and playing time here, that’s not right for him.”"

Perhaps the best opportunity for Bautista to revive his career would be to find a home with an American League team and serve as a full-time designated hitter. After 15 seasons, putting his 37-year-old body through the wear-and-tear of playing in the field could be hindering his ability to produce at the plate.

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If Bautista could just spend all of his time focusing on his at-bats, he might be able to revert back to his old form and give an AL club some pop as their designated hitter. If he isn’t given that opportunity, his career might be over.