TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays parted ways with designated hitter Frank Thomas on Sunday, a day after the slumping slugger reacted angrily to being benched.

Thomas met early in the morning with general manager J.P. Ricciardi and was given his unconditional release. The future Hall of Famer left the team shortly afterwards without speaking to reporters, an abrupt end his brief stay with the Blue Jays.

"Our best opportunity is to put other guys in the lineup at this point," Ricciardi told a hastily assembled news conference afterwards. "Obviously, reduced playing time is not something that he was interested in. In order to let him go forward and get on with his career, I think it's fair to do it at this point."

Thomas said Saturday "it's pretty obvious" that his benching was due to his contract instead of a lack of production. The 19-year veteran has a vesting option worth US$10 million in 2009 and needs 304 more plate appearances for it to become guaranteed. The option is part of the $18.12-million, two-year deal Thomas signed with the Blue Jays in November 2006.

The Blue Jays must pay his full salary this season.

"That never came up," Ricciardi said of the vesting option. "I told Frank our decision is based on performance and his decision is based on not being able to be in the lineup."

Manager John Gibbons told Thomas that he wouldn't be guaranteed at-bats during a Saturday morning meeting. Thomas, who turns 40 next month, was batting .167 in 16 games, with three homers and 11 RBIs but minus a big series against Boston during the season's opening week, when he hit two homers and drove in eight runs, he's hitting just .125.

A notorious slow starter, he's also mired in a 4-for-35 rut. But with the Blue Jays offence sputtering and options on the bench and in the minors, they felt they couldn't afford to carry his lack of production.

"I don't know that we have the luxury of waiting two to three months for somebody to kick in because we can't let this league or this division get away from us," Ricciardi said. "I don't think we have the spot to allow him to stay there and work it out."

Matt Stairs of Fredericton will get most of the at-bats at DH in Thomas's place. Eventually, prospect Adam Lind is expected to take over in left but he's fighting a sore neck in triple-A Syracuse right now, so catcher Robinzon Diaz will likely be called up.

Having Diaz around would also allow the Blue Jays to use catcher Rod Barajas at DH without fear of being exposed behind the plate.

There had been fears that Thomas, who has 516 career homers and a lifetime batting average of .302 in what's expected to be a Hall of Fame career, might not be able to handle his demotion and Sunday's move nipped that in the bud.

The situation wasn't allowed to fester, something centre-fielder Vernon Wells said was probably a good thing.

"I think it's better for him, too," said Wells. "He gets a chance to have more time to possibly pick up with another team, with us it may give some of younger guys a chance to come up. I'm sure eventually Lindy will be up here to get some at-bats that he needs at the big-league level."

The Blue Jays were willing to offer Thomas a lesser role playing two or three times a week but didn't expect the slugger to accept. He didn't.

"Out of respect for his career, it's not fair to him to sit around and become a part-time player," said Gibbons. "I know he wasn't going to be happy with that and you can definitely understand that. ...

"He doesn't deserve to be hanging here sitting around not being a player."