The New York Mets have reportedly declined the option of Jon Niese, ending the player's second stint with the franchise, per Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball and Matt Ehalt of the Record.
New York will pay a buyout worth $500,000 and Niese will be a free agent.
The left-handed pitcher was traded from the Mets to the Pittsburgh Pirates during last offseason for Neil Walker, a move Pirates general manager Neil Huntington admitted he regretted. He was then sent back to New York for Antonio Bastardo.