MIAMI (AP) - Ichiro Suzuki's $2 million club option with the Miami Marlins has been declined, making the 44-year-old outfielder a free agent.
It is the first major roster move by the Marlins since Derek Jeter's ownership group took over a month ago.
Jeter and Suzuki were teammates with the New York Yankees. But the Marlins are expected to cut their payroll to about $90 million, and parting with Suzuki is just the start of an anticipated purge.
Suzuki has said he wants to play until he's 50, but it's unclear whether another team will sign him. He ranks 22nd on the all-time list with 3,080 hits but started only 22 games this year, while setting a big league mark with 109 plate appearances as a pinch hitter.
He gets a $500,000 buyout.
