Brewers infielder Healy refuses outright assignment, opts for free agency

MILWAUKEE — Infielder Ryon Healy has opted for free agency, refusing an outright assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers off their 40-man roster to their Triple-A affiliate at San Antonio.

The 28-year-old played just four regular-season games for Milwaukee this year and batted .143 with no homers, runs or RBIs. He started the second game of the Brewers’ NL wild-card series loss to Los Angeles and went 0 for 3.

Healy has batted .261 with 69 homers and 214 RBIs in 405 career games while playing primarily first base and third base. He hit 25 homers for Oakland in 2017 and homered 24 times for Seattle in 2018.

He had the right to refuse the outright assignment because he has at least three years of major league service. By removing him from the 40-man roster, the Brewers prevented Healy from being eligible for salary arbitration.

He had a split contract in 2020 calling to be paid at a $1 million rate in the majors and $250,000 in the minors, reduced due to the pandemic to prorated pay at a rate of $370,370 in the majors and $92,593 in the minors.