Houston Astros relief pitcher Joe Smith has elected to opt out of the 2020 MLB season, per reports. Smith is the fourteenth major leaguer to do so.
Smith, 36, is a righthanded relief pitcher who signed a two year, $8 million deal with the Houston Astros in December. Smith put up a 1.80 ERA in 25 IP for the Astros in 2019.
Smith, like the majority of those players who have opted out so far, is a veteran who is on the back side of his career, and who has made a significant amount of money in his career to date, making the decision easier from a financial security standpoint.