MILWAUKEE — Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal declined their mutual options with the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming free agents.
Moustakas, who turned 31 in September, is a free agent for the third consecutive offseason after earning $18.7 million in a pair of one-year deals.
He hit .254 with 35 homers and 87 RBIs this year for the Brewers, earning his third All-Star selection. After starting the season at second base, he moved to third when Travis Shaw slumped.
Moustakas rejected a $17.4 million qualifying offer from Kansas City after the 2017 season and returned to the Royals in mid-March for a one-year contract that included a $5.5 million salary and $1 million option buyout. He was traded to the Brewers that July and finished with a .251 average, 28 homers and 95 RBIs, earning an additional $2.2 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances. He had a $7 million salary this year and gets a $3 million buyout for declining his $10 million option.
Grandal, who will be 31 next week, turned down a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers last November, then agreed in January to a deal with the Brewers that included a $16 million salary this year and a $16 million mutual option for 2020 with a $2.25 million buyout. Selected for the All-Star team for the second time, he hit .246 and had career bests with 28 homers and 77 RBIs.
Milwaukee also said infielder/outfielders Tyler Austin and Cory Spangenberg refused outright assignments to Triple-A San Antonio of the Pacific Coast League and elected free agency.