The Atlanta Braves signed first baseman Ryan Howard to a minor-league deal in April -- ostensibly so he could serve as insurance in case Freddie Freeman suffered an injury.

But the Braves cut ties with the former World Series champ and 2006 NL MVP winner Monday, thereby suggesting they would rather operate without a safety net than take solace in whatever Howard could offer them.

Howard earned the release the honest way: struggling to hit minor-league pitching. He was at .184/.238/.263 with one extra-base hit in 11 games for Triple-A Gwinnett, all the while striking out 11 times. 

Though Howard had recently voiced optimism about his ability to right the ship, the Braves won't be affording him the opportunity to turn his talk into results. Frankly, it seems unlikely that Howard will get a shot elsewhere, either, given he's a 37-year-old who hasn't been an above-average hitter since 2013.

If this is the end for Howard, he'll end his career having played in parts of 13 big-league seasons, during which he posted a 125 OPS+ and homered 382 times. Good marks for someone who did not become a regular until he was 26.