Brad Penny

Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that Brad Penny is not on the Mets’ radar.

Penny was released by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League after making just one start with the club. Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported Tuesday morning that the veteran right-hander has already drawn interest from MLB clubs as a starter and reliever. It likely won’t take more than a minor league deal to sign him, but the pitching-starved Mets won’t be in the mix.

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that MLB teams have expressed interest in Brad Penny as a starter and reliever.

Penny was released by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League after making just one start with the club. While he complained of shoulder soreness, no structural damage was found, and it’s increasingly clear that he just didn’t want to pitch there. The 33-year-old right-hander had an ugly 5.30 ERA and 74/62 K/BB ratio across 181 2/3 innings last year for the Tigers and will almost certainly have to settle for a minor league deal.

Brad Penny has left the the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League.

The news was passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. Penny, who joined the SoftBank Hawks on a one-year, $4 million deal with a $4.5 million mutual option for 2013, gave up six runs (four earned) over 3 1/3 innings in his lone start with the club. He complained of right shoulder pain after the start, but no abnormalities were found and Softbank told Sanspo.com that it was his “strong wish” to leave the team.

Updating a previous item, Brad Penny’s deal with the Softbank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League is the largest ever given to an American pitcher in his first contract with a Japanese team.

According to FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, Penny will earn $4 million in 2012 with an additional $3.5 million available through performance-based incentives. The deal also includes a $4.5 million option for 2013.

The Softbank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League have signed SP Brad Penny to a one-year contract.

Financial terms of the deal are not yet available. Penny won 11 games for the Tigers this past season and posted a 5.30 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 31 games. His 12-year major league career included stints with the Marlins, Dodgers, Red Sox, Giants and Cardinals.

Brad Penny confirmed via his Twitter account Wednesday that he “might be in Japan next week.”

We learned last week that Penny was “weighing an opportunity” to pitch for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League. Japanese website Sponichi is now reporting that a deal is close. “The deal has not been finalized yet, but I hear we are in the final stages,” said Fukuoka team chairman Sadaharu Oh. “We see him as a pitcher for our starting rotation.” Penny wrote on his Twitter account Wednesday that while he had offers from MLB teams, he had a “much better offer in Japan.” The 33-year-old right-hander had a lousy 5.30 ERA and 74/62 K/BB ratio over 181 2/3 innings last season for the Tigers.

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, Brad Penny is “weighing an opportunity” to pitch for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League.

Crasnick previously reported that Penny was drawing interest in Japan. The 33-year-old right-hander had a lousy 5.30 ERA and 74/62 K/BB ratio over 181 2/3 innings last season for the Tigers, so he’s unlikely to get anything more than a minor-league contract in the states.

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that Brad Penny is drawing interest from teams in Japan.

Penny was terrible with the Tigers last season, posting a 5.30 ERA to go along with a measly 74/62 K/BB ratio over 181 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old right-hander would almost certainly have to accept a minor league deal in order to continue his career stateside, though Crasnick’s report would seem to indicate that MLB teams aren’t knocking on his door.