SAN FRANCISCO -- Andres Galarraga filed for free agency on Wednesday after the San Francisco Giants declined their option on the veteran first baseman.

	Galarraga

Galarraga signed a one-year contract worth $6.25 million last December with the Texas Rangers, who traded him to San Francisco on July 24 for three minor league pitchers. The deal contained a $7 million option with a $250,000 buyout -- an amount that would have increased to $500,000 if he had made five additional plate appearances.

Galarraga, 40, hit .288 with seven homers and 35 RBI for the Giants, providing consistency and several clutch hits during their playoff push, but San Francisco couldn't get past Arizona in the NL West.

The Giants also declined their option on right-hander Mark Gardner, who went 5-5 last season with a 5.40 ERA in 23 appearances as San Francisco's sometime fifth starter. Gardner, who has been with the Giants since 1996, missed nearly two months with a strained right shoulder.

Barry Bonds filed for free agency on Monday. Right-hander Jason Schmidt -- another late-season acquisition -- left-handed reliever Jason Christiansen and catcher Benito Santiago also are free agents.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Kevin Tapani was also among the 12 players who filed on Wednesday.

Of the 161 players potentially eligible, 138 filed in the first three days of the 15-day filing period. It appears players rushed to file before the expiration of baseball's labor agreement at midnight ET Wednesday.

Also among those filing were Chicago White Sox pitcher Cal Eldred, David Bell and Pat Borders of the Seattle Mariners, and Russ Springer of the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks.

Eligible players may file through Nov. 20.