Pittsburgh, PA (My Sportsbook) - The Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday terminated the contract of outfielder Raul Mondesi for breach of contract. Mondesi was placed on Major League Baseball's Restricted List on May 11 after he failed to report to Colorado for a series against the Rockies. Mondesi returned to the Dominican Republic to address personal issues. "The Pirates have been sensitive to Raul's personal issues in the Dominican Republic and gave him permission to go there for several days to address these matters," said Pirates senior vice president and general manager Dave Littlefield. "Because he has chosen not to return to the club, he is in breach of his contract. Therefore, we have decided to move forward and terminate his contract." Wednesday's action by the Pirates has no effect on the club's 25 or 40-man roster. The 33-year-old Mondesi, who signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh as a free agent in the offseason, batted .283 with two homers and 14 RBI in 26 games for the Pirates. The former NL Rookie of the Year, All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner was playing for his fifth team since making his major league debut with the Dodgers in 1993. |
