The Mets and outfielder Jason Bay agreed to part ways on Wednesday, ending a three-year stint with the team. (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

The New York Mets and oft-injured outfielder Jason Bay agreed to part ways Wednesday, with Bay accepting a buyout, the team announced.

Both sides negotiated an early end to his contract. Major League Baseball’s union opposes any reduction in the value of a player’s contract, so Bay will get all of the $21 million he is owed from the team.  Bay will receive a $16 million salary, a $3 million buyout and the $2 million that is left on a signing bonus. The money is being deferred and the Mets will spread out payments over the next couple of seasons.

Bay signed a four-year, $66 million contract with the Mets in December 2009 after spending parts of two seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

Bay, 34, immediately becomes a free agent. Bay only played in 70 games with the team in 2012, batting .165 with eight home runs and 20 RBI.

Bay hit .234 in three years with the Mets and played in only 288 games. He also had 26 home runs, 124 RBI, with a .687 OPS and 258 strikeouts.

BREAKING: @Mets and outfielder Jason Bay agree to part ways. Bay immediately becomes free agent.—
  (@MLB) November 07, 2012

Jason Bay was placed on the disabled list for the Mets after sustaining a concussion in Friday’s loss to the Reds. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The New York Mets have placed outfielder Jason Bay on the 7-day disabled list following a concussion he sustained in Friday’s 7-3 loss in New York to the Cincinnati Reds. Bay suffered the injury in the second inning by diving into the outfield wall trying to make a catch.

This isn’t the first time he had to miss time with a head injury. In 2010, he was out for two months because of a concussion.

Scott Hairston, who replaced Bay in the outfield on Friday, told MLB.com that it’s always hard to lose a teammate but especially difficult to lose Bay considering his history with concussions:

“It’s really hard to watch, especially him just coming back from injury,” said Scott Hairston, who subbed for Bay in left field and should see increased playing time in his absence. “He’s a well-liked guy. We like having him around. It’s very difficult to watch a player like that go through something like that.”

But Catcher Josh Those said that losing Bay isn’t something the team is worried about:

“I don’t think it will demoralize us in here. We’re stronger than that.”

Mets pitcher Jon Rauch tweeted that he was disappointed in the New York fans for booing him as he walked off the field, saying that it’s a much more serious injury than perhaps some fans realize:

Very disappointed with the fans who booed Jason Bay as he came off the field. This is a serious injury that affects his livelihood (cont)—
Jon Rauch (@jrauch60) June 16, 2012

(cont) and his well being. He plays his heart out every time he takes the field. It's very unfortunate that he's had to deal with (cont)—
Jon Rauch (@jrauch60) June 16, 2012

(cont) multiple concussions and other injuries – we all have him and his family in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.—
Jon Rauch (@jrauch60) June 16, 2012

Bay will be able to return as early as June 22 but must pass a concussion test first before he’s cleared to resume playing baseball.

New York Mets leftfielder Jason Bay was removed from Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning after making an awkward attempt at a diving catch and hitting his head against the outfield wall.

Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com describes Bay as struggling to find his feet before throwing the ball in. Jay Bruce rounded the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

Bay missed the last two months of the 2010 season with a concussion, so the Mets will be understandably cautious with him.

Scott Hairston took Bay’s place in left field and in the six hole in the batting order.

Jason Bay, the Mets outfielder who has been on the disabled list since April with a fractured rib, is expected back in the lineup on Tuesday against the Nationals. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Jason Bay, the Mets outfielder out since April 23 with a fractured rib, is expected to come off the disabled list and play for the team on Tuesday evening in Washington D.C. against the Nationals, said team manager Terry Collins in a report from Adam Rubin of ESPN.

Bay was initially expected  back later this week on Friday but had played well enough in his minor-league assignment that team officials moved up his return to Tuesday. He had gone 2-6 with three strike outs and a stolen base in the minors.

Prior to the injury, Bay had played in 15 games for the Mets, hitting .240 and recording three home runs.  As the last part of his rehab assignment, Bay will play in the outfield on Monday night for Class A St. Lucie of the Florida State League club.

In addition to the return of Bay, Rubin reported that the Mets will have Ruben Tejada, out with a right quadriceps strain, back in the lineup for the Subway Series opener at Yankee Stadium on Friday.

Chris Young will also be in the lineup on Tuesday after having surgery in May to repair his right shoulder, and Miguel Batista is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Tuesday for the game against the Nationals.

New York Mets manager Terry Collins says that Jason Bay will “absolutely” be a starter when he returns from the disabled list, according to the New York Daily News.

“Absolutely,” Collins said. “He didn’t come here to be an extra player.”

“We’re still looking at, probably, 10 days or two weeks (until Bay returns),” Collins said. “So many things might happen. When it gets close to the date, I’ll start to take a look at what our situation might be. But right now, I just want to get him back. He’s still a big part of this. I think you see, when we face lefthanded pitching, what a big hole we have in the middle of our lineup without him.”

Bay has not played since April 24 due to a fractured left rib. The veteran outfielder was hitting just .240/.316/.460 prior to being placed on the disabled list.

In his stead, rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis has hit .294/.370/.412 with two home runs and 12 RBI.

The New York Mets have placed left fielder Jason Bay on the 15-day disabled list after suffering a nondisplaced fracture of a rib on his left side, according to the league’s official Twitter account.

BREAKING: @Mets place OF Jason Bay on 15-day DL with a nondisplaced fracture of a rib on the left side.

—
  (@MLB) April 24, 2012

Bay, 33, has had trouble staying healthy consistently since signing a major deal with the New York Mets. In 2011 he played in just 123 games, and in 2010 he made just 95 appearances for New York.

In 15 games this season the outfielder has hit .240/.316/.460 with three home runs. Last year he hit .245/.329/.374 with 12 home runs.

A three-time All-Star, Bay won the Rookie of the Year award in 2004.