"The Mets have told reliever J.J. Putz that they plan to decline his $8.6 million option for 2010 and buy him out for $1 million instead.

The club cited health concerns in making the long-expected move, pointing to elbow surgery and forearm problems that caused the former All-Star closer to miss the entire second half of his debut season with the Mets.

Putz's agent, Craig Landis , said Putz understood the likely decision and hasn't ruled out returning to the Mets with a cheaper, incentive-laden deal once free agency begins Nov. 20.

Landis said Putz feels healthy and expects to be ready for the start of spring training.

If Putz doesn't return, the Mets will have little to show for the three-team trade in December 2008 that brought Putz to Queens from Seattle along with fellow reliever Sean Green and little-used backup outfielder Jeremy Reed . That deal sent, among others, reliever Aaron Heilman and outfielder Endy Chavez to the Mariners and reliever Joe Smith to the Indians."