Pirates decline Archer’s $11M option

The Pittsburgh Pirates have declined the $11 million option on Chris Archer, making the starting pitcher a free agent, multiple outlets reported Saturday night.

Archer, 32, will get a $250,000 buyout on a $25.5 million contract he signed with Tampa Bay in 2014. The Rays traded Archer to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline in 2018 for Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows.

The Pirates exercised a $9 million club option on Archer for 2020, which he missed due to season-ending surgery in June to alleviate symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Archer is 60-80 with a 3.86 ERA in eight seasons with the Pirates and Rays. Archer was a two-time All Star with Tampa and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2013.