Phillies decline options on Vargas, Hughes, Neshek

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies have declined club options on left-hander Jason Vargas and right-handers Jared Hughes and Pat Neshek.

Vargas was 1-4 with a 5.37 ERA in 11 starts with the Phillies, who acquired him on July 29 from the Mets. He gets a $2 million buyout instead of $8 million for 2020, and New York is sending the Phillies $2 million to offset the cost of the buyout.

Hughes had a 3.91 ERA in 25 appearances with the Phillies. He receives a $250,000 buyout instead of $3 million for 2020.

Neshek pitched 18 innings in 2019 and only 42 1/3 over the past two seasons while earning $16.5 million. He gets a $750,000 buyout instead of $7 million for 2020.

Philadelphia said pitchers Jerad Eickhoff, Mike Morin, Blake Parker and Edubray Ramos and infielder Phil Gosselin all had refused outright assignments to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and had elected to become free agents.

Pitchers Victor Arano, Seranthony Dominguez, David Robertson, Robert Stock and Adam Morgan and outfielder Andrew McCutchen were reinstated from the 60-day injured list, and outfielder Odubel Herrera was reinstated from the restricted list.