Marcus Stroman opted out of the final year of his contract with the Chicago Cubs, the right-hander confirmed Saturday on Instagram.
"Love everything about Chicago. Grateful for the Cubs organization," Stroman wrote in an Instagram story. "Thankful to have experienced Wrigley and the fan base. The consistent energy was incredible. Life is a journey. Excited for whatever comes next."
The 32-year-old leaves $21 million on the table after signing a $71-million contract with the Cubs before the 2022 campaign.
Stroman appeared in 27 games for Chicago last season, making 25 starts. The veteran hurler finished the regular season with a 10-9 record and a 3.95 ERA in 136 2/3 innings.
He also continued a career norm of getting ground balls, ranking third in the majors in ground-ball percentage among starters with at least 130 innings pitched, according to FanGraphs.
Stroman will join a free-agent class of starting pitchers that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, and Shohei Ohtani, who won't pitch next season.
The Cubs also had outfielder Cody Bellinger decline a mutual option for next season to test free agency on Friday.
