Felix Hernandez is opting out of the 2020 season, his agent announced on Saturday.
The longtime Seattle Mariner signed a minor league deal with the Braves in January and was competing for a spot in the rotation.
Hernandez, 34, is coming off his worst season in the majors. He went 1-8 with a 6.40 ERA in 15 starts for the Mariners and lost his place in the rotation.
Hernandez was among the best and more durable pitchers in the majors for more than a decade, a stretch that included six All-Star selections and the 2010 AL Cy Young Award. King Felix was a huge crowd favorite at Safeco Field, with fans holding up K cards in The King’s Court to mark his many strikeouts.
Before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sport, the right-hander was set to earn $1 million on a one-year contract if he was added to Atlanta’s 40-man roster.