Major League Baseball

Rockies reliever Betancourt becomes free agent

Published Oct. 31, 2013 5:53 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Colorado Rockies have declined their half of a mutual option on Rafael Betancourt, making the right-handed reliever who's coming off an arm injury a free agent.

Betancourt was 2-5 with a 4.08 ERA and 16 saves for the Rockies last season before tearing a ligament in his pitching elbow. He considered undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy to fix his arm, but announced in August his decision to have Tommy John surgery.

The 38-year-old Betancourt spent parts of five seasons with the Rockies after being acquired from the Cleveland Indians in 2009. He had 31 saves for Colorado in 2012.

Betancourt will receive a $250,000 buyout.