Yusmeiro Petit's Contract Option Declined by Nationals: Latest Details, Reaction

The Washington Nationals announced Thursday they are declining the $3 million club option in the contract of relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit for 2017. In turn, he'll receive a $500,000 buyout and head into free agency. 

William Ladson of MLB.com passed along word of the team's decision. 

Petit shined during the San Francisco Giants' run to the 2014 World Series. The Venezuelan reliever posted a 1.42 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 13 strikeouts across 12.2 innings of work out of the bullpen, picking up three victories in the process.

The 31-year-old right-hander has never been able to match that type of success while pitching in the regular season, though. He owns a mundane 4.58 career ERA and he posted a 4.50 mark during his first season in Washington.

One reason Petit does carry added value to a staff despite those lackluster numbers is his versatility.

He's spent his career shifting between the starting rotation and the bullpen, and that helps a manager when injuries begin to mount during a season. The ability to make a spot start at a moment's notice and provide four or five innings is often overlooked.

The Nationals had to decide whether that was worth picking up his option. For his part, the veteran pitcher talked about enjoying his time in the nation's capital in August, per Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area.

"I feel good," Petit said. "They've given me a chance to pitch in different situations. I like it here. The weather is different so I had to be ready for that, but I made the adjustment to a new ballpark and I like this park."

In the end, Washington decided to move on from Petit. It's not a surprise given the team's rotation depth, which limited the value of his versatility, and he doesn't carry much value as a typical reliever. The front office can fill the void at a cheaper price.

Petit may get forced to accept a spring-training invite with an eye toward earning a spot on the Opening Day roster with a strong showing during the exhibition slate.