Aaron Barrett: Elects free agency

Barrett (elbow) cleared waivers Wednesday and declined an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse, making him a free agent, The Washington Post reports.

He's recovering from two elbow surgeries in the last 13 months, so there likely won't be a big market for his services. When he's healthy, Barrett's nasty slider can make him an effective part of a major league bullpen in a middle relief or setup role, but it's not certain yet whether he'll even be ready for spring training. Expect Barrett to eventually land a minor league deal somewhere, potentially even back with the Nats.