Marlins release catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Jarrod Saltalamacchia #39 of the Miami Marlins fields a hit by Travis d'Arnaud of the New York Mets and sends it to first for the out in the fifth inning on April 18, 2015 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Jarrod Saltalamacchia #39 of the Miami Marlins fields a hit by Travis d’Arnaud of the New York Mets and sends it to first for the out in the fifth inning on April 18, 2015 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Miami Marlins have released veteran catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia after the team was unable to find a trade partner for the 30-year-old switch hitter. The Marlins had designated him for assignment last week.

Miami had signed the former Royal Palm Beach High star to a three-year, $21 million deal prior to the 2014 season, but he has struggled both at the plate and behind it since returning to South Florida. Saltalamacchia, who now resides in Wellington, hit just .220 last season for the Marlins with 11 homers, 44 RBIs and 143 strikeouts in 114 games. This season, he was hitting a moribund .069 (2-for-29) through nine games with just one RBI and 12 strikeouts. In his two years in Miami, he has thrown out just 19 percent of the runners attempting to steal on him.

So why the huge contract from the Fish? Well, in 2013, Salty helped the Boston Red Sox to a World Series title, hitting .273 with 14 homers and 65 ribbies.

Now, however, the Marlins will be forced to eat the approximately $15 million left on his deal and turn to rookie catcher J.T. Realmuto, who is hitting just .232 with six RBIs heading into Tuesday night’s matchup with the Nationals.