PITTSBURGH — Matt Morris, the veteran right-hander added by the Pittsburgh Pirates late last season to stabilize a young rotation, was released Sunday after failing to pitch past the second inning in his latest start.

Morris fell to 0-4 with a 9.67 ERA after giving up six runs, three earned, and six hits in 1 2-3 innings during an 8-4 loss to the Phillies on Saturday night.

The decision to cut him will cost the Pirates more than $10 million, besides what they already have paid him this season. Morris is making $10,037,283, or about one-fifth of the Pirates' payroll, and has a $1 million buyout for 2009.

"Matt Morris is a true professional," manager John Russell said. "He's had a great career. He wanted to help us , but it just wasn't working out."

Team president Frank Coonelly was disappointed the Pirates added a salary as big as Morris' not long before Coonelly joined the club from major league baseball's central office late last season. Former general manager Dave Littlefield, who dealt for Morris, was fired about a month after he acquired him.

"The decision to acquire Matt Morris last July did not turn out to be a sound baseball judgment," Coonelly said in a statement issued by the team. "Ownership's willingness to acquire Matt's contract ... demonstrated ownership's commitment to fielding a championship team. I am confident that the investments that we are now making in this club will be far more productive."

Morris is 121-92 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 seasons, mostly with the Cardinals. He was a career-best 22-8 with a 3.16 ERA in 2001 and averaged nearly 16 wins per season with St. Louis from 2001-05.