Reliever Brad Hand's $7 million mutual option declined by Atlanta Braves

ATLANTA (AP) — Left-hander Brad Hand's $7 million mutual option was declined Sunday by the Atlanta Braves, allowing the reliever to become a free agent.

Hand gets a $500,000 buyout as part of a contract that wound up paying him $4 million.

The 33-year-old three-time All-Star was acquired from Colorado on Aug. 1 and went 2-2 with a 7.50 ERA in 20 games for the Braves. The option originally was a team option but became mutual because of the trade.

Hand was 5-3 with a 5.53 ERA overall in 60 games this year. His base salary escalated from $1.5 million to $2.5 million because he was on the opening day active roster and he earned $1 million in performance bonuses for games pitched.

The 13-year big league veteran is 40-55 with a 3.75 ERA in 43 starts and 536 relief appearances for the Marlins (2011-15), San Diego (2016-18), Cleveland (2018-20), Washington (2021), the New York Mets (2021), Toronto (2021), Philadelphia (2022), Colorado and Atlanta.

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