"The Milwaukee Brewers announced Sunday that they have declined the mutual option on reliever Francisco Rodriguez as well as the club option on shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

Rodriguez, whom the Brewers acquired via trade from the New York Mets during the all-star break in July, went 4-0 with a 1.86 earned-run average in 31 appearances for Milwaukee.

He came to the Brewers with a vesting option that would have guaranteed him a $17.5 million contract for 2012 had he finished 21 more games. Rodriguez had 23 saves in the first half of the season as the Mets' closer.

But Rodriguez and the Brewers quickly agreed on a mutual option in exchange for the buyout being raised from $3.5 to $4 million so as to eliminate any potential controversy regarding his usage or role."