Diamondbacks decline Tracy’s $7 million option

PHOENIX (AP)—Chad Tracy’s(notes) $7 million option has been declined by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will pay the infielder a $1 million buyout.

The 29-year-old becomes eligible for free agency.

Selected on the seventh round of 2001 amateur draft, Tracy batted .237 in 98 games this year with eight home runs and 39 RBIs. He spent all of June on the disabled list with a strained right oblique.

Tracy hit .280 over parts of six seasons with the club with 78 home runs and 318 RBIs.

The Diamondbacks also said right-hander Yusmeiro Petit(notes) and left-hander Doug Slaten(notes) had been claimed off waivers, Petit by the Seattle Mariners and Slaten by the Washington Nationals.

Arizona also sent right-hander Daniel Cabrera(notes), outfielder Trent Oeltjen(notes) and outfielder Alex Romero(notes) outright to Triple-A Reno. Cabrera refused the assignment and elected to become a free agent.

The Diamondbacks considered Tracy one of their anchors for the future after he hit .305 with 27 home runs in 2005. In 2006, the left-handed batter hit .281 with 20 homers and a career-best 80 RBIs.

Tracy signed a three-year, $13.25 million contract before the 2007 season, with a $7 million club option for 2010.

His production hasn’t been the same since he had microfracture surgery on his right knee in September of 2007. Doctors later discovered a blood clot that, had it moved up his leg, could have been life-threatenting.

Blood-thinners eventually resolved the problem, but Tracy was relegated to the bench when he returned in May 2008 and never regained his old hitting form.

Thursday’s moves left the Diamondbacks with 35 players on their 40-man roster.