Justin Morneau has 2016 option declined by Rockies

The Colorado Rockies have declined a $9 million US mutual option on Justin Morneau and bought out the first baseman for $750,000.

Morneau hit .310 with three homers and 15 RBIs in an injury plagued season that limited the native of New Westminster, B.C., to 49 games.

Morneau, 34, was out of the lineup for nearly four months with a strained neck and concussion symptoms after diving for a ground ball during a game in May.

He captured the National League batting title with Colorado last season, when he hit .319 and added 17 home runs and 32 doubles while driving in 82 runs in 135 games. In addition, Morneau was the American League MVP in 2006 while with the Minnesota Twins.

Colorado was careful not to rush Morneau back because of his concussion history.

On July 7, 2010, Morneau suffered a concussion while playing for Minnesota when his head banged against the knee of then-Toronto Blue Jays second baseman John McDonald. Morneau missed the rest of the season and much of the following campaign while dealing with concussion-related symptoms as well as other injuries.

At one point, he reported vertigo so severe that he was unable to hold his infant daughters for fear of dropping them.

Concussions and other injuries derailed Morneau's 2010 and 2011 campaigns and he struggled in 2013 with Minnesota and Pittsburgh before signing a two-year, $12.5-million deal, with a third-year option, in Colorado.

As a youngster, Morneau was a catcher and played goalie for his hockey teams, and it's suspected he suffered many small, undiagnosed head injuries over those years.