Catcher Yorvit Torrealba has declined his side of his mutual option with the Padres, reports Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The option, which was for $3.5MM, still pays a $500K buyout to Torrealba.
Torrealba, 32, hit .271/.343/.378 this year in 363 plate appearances for the Padres. He caught 795.6 innings, with Nick Hundley taking the rest. Torrealba threw out 37% of baserunners, his best mark since '06. He's a solid regular in a free agent market with about eight of them. Torrealba is a Type B free agent, so the Padres could get a draft pick if they offer arbitration and he turns it down and signs elsewhere.
