The Nationals had big plans for Yunesky Maya when they signed the Cuban right-hander back in 2010 to a four-year, $6 million international free agent contract.
But the dream has come to an end in Washington.
According to Matt Eddy of Baseball America, the Nats officially released Maya on Saturday after getting just 16 major league appearances out of him in four seasons. Maya had a rough 5.80 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 27/21 K/BB ratio in 59 total innings with Washington. He pitched just once this year at the big league level and that two-batter relief outing ended in a Pablo Sandoval walkoff home run.
Before defecting from his native country, Maya played for the Cuban national team in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics and was 48-29 with a 2.51 ERA in six Serie Nacional seasons.
The 32-year-old should be able to find a minor league contract this winter.