McCann is free agent as option declined

The Astros declined Brian McCann’s $15 million club option for 2019 on Wednesday, making the 34-year-old, seven-time All-Star catcher a free agent. Houston also outrighted reliever Jandel Gustave off its 40-man roster, leaving seven vacant spots headed into the winter.

This was the final season of McCann’s five-year, $85 million deal he signed with the Yankees in 2014. Houston acquired the veteran catcher before the 2017 season, taking on the final two years of his deal.

The club option could have vested into a player option if McCann amassed 1,000 plate appearances from 2017-18, caught 90 games in 2018 and did not end 2018 on the disabled list.

Instead, McCann endured the worst season of his 14-year major league career. He played in only 63 games, had a 79 OPS+, missed two months after arthroscopic knee surgery in July and ceded his starting spot to a trade deadline acquisition.

After producing an .804 OPS across his first 20 games, McCann fell into a prolonged offensive slump, a byproduct of right knee problems he combated throughout his Astros tenure. He underwent surgery in July and did not return until early September.

When McCann did return, Martin Maldonado — the defensive stalwart acquired from the Angels — had usurped his role.

After catching all but one playoff game during the 2017 World Series run, McCann started just twice in the Astros’ eightgame postseason stay this year. Maldonado started the other six.

Now, both McCann and Maldonado enter free agency, underscoring one of the organization’s foremost offseason priorities. Max Stassi returns after a breakout, albeit inconsistent, rookie season where he started just 11 games in the final two months.