The Padres declined Hart's $5 million club option for 2026 on Tuesday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Hart pitched in the majors for the first time in five years in 2025, though he accumulated a 5.86 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 43 regular-season innings. His poor performance made it easy for San Diego to decline giving the 32-year-old a $4 million raise, so he'll instead receive a $500,000 buyout and look to free agency for his next opportunity.