Carlos Torres has cleared waivers and has elected to become a free agent.
Torres was designated for assignment to make room for Antonio Bastardo. No one picked him up, so then he had a choice to make — stay with the Mets and collect his $1.05 million in the minors, or forfeit the contract to sign with another team. He chose the latter.
The Mets still owe him $175,000, so even if Torres signs for the league minimum (around $600,000) with incentives, he’ll make the same money he would have made if he stayed with the Mets.