Pirates decline Liz's 2016 club option

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates on Thursday declined their 2016 club option on Radhames Liz, making the 32-year-old right-hander a free agent.

Liz went 1-4 with a 4.24 ERA in 23 1/3 innings over 14 appearances for the Pirates last season. After opening the season with the Bucs, he was designated for assignment on May 25 and spent most of the year with Triple-A Indianapolis.

The hard-throwing Liz was effective in Triple-A, going 4-5 with a 1.40 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings over 16 games, including 10 starts. But he struggled with the transition to a relief role in the Majors and made only three appearances after rejoining the Bucs on Sept. 1. He was designated for assignment on Sept. 15.

Pittsburgh signed Liz to a one-year, $1 million contract in December, helping him return to the Majors for the first time since 2009. Liz's long journey back to the big leagues led him to the Korean Baseball Organization for three years, through the Blue Jays' system in 2014 and finally to the Pirates in 2015.

Liz was the Pirates' only player with a 2016 option to exercise or decline.