OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland Athletics pitchers Dallas Braden and Joey Devine have cleared outright waivers and chosen to become free agents rather than accept assignments to Triple-A Sacramento.
The AL West champion A's made the announcement Tuesday. Both pitchers missed the 2012 season because of injuries that required surgery.
Braden, the left-hander who pitched the 19th perfect game in major league history on Mother's Day 2010 against Tampa Bay, underwent surgery on May 17, 2011, to repair a torn capsule in his throwing shoulder. He then had another procedure Aug. 21 to fix a torn rotator cuff in the shoulder.
The right-handed reliever Devine is recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery for the second time on his throwing arm. He also missed the 2009 and '10 seasons after the first surgery.
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