NEW YORK -- Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward and San Francisco reliever Mark Melancon let the deadline pass for exercising opt-out provisions in their contracts.
Doing the same were two Cuban outfielders who have been major disappointments and spent all of this season in the minor leagues: Boston's Rusney Castillo and Arizona's Yasmany Tomas.
Heyward keeps the $184 million, eight-year deal that pays him $106 million in the next five seasons. The others all have two years left in their contracts: Melancon is owed $28 million, Tomas $32.5 million and Castillo $24.