SEATTLE (AP) – Former AL batting champion John Olerud was released Friday by the last-place Seattle Mariners.

Olerud was hitting .245 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 77 games when he was designated for assignment last week. He was in the final year of his contract, earning $7.7 million this season.

The 35-year-old Olerud hit an AL-leading .363 with Toronto in 1993, when the Blue Jays won their second straight World Series title. He has a career average of .295.

The Mariners tried to trade Olerud but couldn’t work out a deal. They were able to deal shortstop Rich Aurilia to San Diego this week after designating him for assignment.

Manager Bob Melvin said before Friday night’s game against Anaheim that he expects Olerud to sign with a team as a free agent.

“I think the interest will pick up now,” Melvin said. “Now, he’ll pick and choose as opposed to us going to him. I think he’ll hook up with somebody now.”

Out of contention in the AL West, Seattle wants to look at some of its minor league prospects, such as first baseman-designated hitter Bucky Jacobsen.

“We investigated a lot of different potential opportunities for John, but we were not able to find a good match within the 10 days we had to trade him,” general manager Bill Bavasi said in a statement.

Olerud, a two-time All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove winner, said last week that he wanted to continue playing. He is now free to sign with any club. Olerud has 2,143 hits, 244 homers and 1,167 RBIs in his career. He spent five seasons with the Mariners, helping them win a major league record-tying 116 games in 2001 and reach the AL championship series in 2000 and 01.

But Olerud, batting in the middle of the lineup, wasn’t able to produce runs for the Mariners this season.

“We wish John and his family only the best and thank him for everything he did for the Mariners organization,” Bavasi said. Olerud, a native of Seattle, signed with the Mariners as a free agent after playing three seasons for the New York Mets. He spent eight years in Toronto.

The Mariners also announced Friday that catcher Pat Borders, 41, has accepted an assignment to Triple-A Tacoma. He was designated for assignment with Olerud last week.

Borders played 19 games in Seattle this season, hitting .189 with one homer and five RBIs. He was the 1992 World Series MVP with the Blue Jays.

AP-ES-07-23-04 2043EDT