NEW YORK -- A roster casualty during the Mets' recent flurry of transactions, reliever Carlos Torres is now a free agent.
Torres elected free agency Monday after clearing waivers. The Mets originally designated him for assignment after signing free-agent left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo to a contract. Torres foregoes a potential $1.05 million contract in New York, but he only would have been entitled to that money had he made the Opening Day roster.
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That was no given considering the Mets' crowded bullpen, which projects to feature Jeurys Familia, Addison Reed, Bastardo and Jerry Blevins. Torres would have spent Spring Training competing against Jim Henderson, Hansel Robles, Erik Goeddel, Sean Gilmartin and a host of others for a roster spot.
A staple of the Mets' bullpen over the past three seasons, Torres struggled last year with a 4.68 ERA in 59 appearances. The year prior, he threw a career-high 97 innings in 73 appearances. Torres owns a 4.26 career ERA over six seasons with the White Sox, Rockies and Mets, spending brief portions of his career as a starter.
ESPN reported that Asian professional teams have already expressed interest in signing Torres as a free agent.