Seattle Mariners Sign Former Rookie of the Year Who Hasn't Seen MLB Action Since 2021
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The Seattle Mariners, in need of bullpen help, turned to an unlikely source on Thursday night as they came to terms with veteran reliever Neftali Feliz.
Per Hector Gomez on social media:
The #Mariners are signing veteran reliever Neftali Feliz, 36, to a minor-league contract with spring training invites.
The former 2010 AL Rookie of the Year and All-Star is playing with @EOBASEBALLCLUB in the Dominican Winter League.
Feliz has spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies. He's most known for his seven-year stint with the Rangers where he won the Rookie of the Year Award and made the All-Star Game in 2010.
Lifetime, he's 21-20 with a 3.55 ERA. He registered 40 saves for the Rangers in 2010 and led baseball in games finished (59) that year. He has not pitched in the majors since making five total appearances in 2021. Before that, he hadn't pitched since 2017. He's currently 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA through 20 games in the Dominican Winter League.
For the Mariners, this is certainly a low-risk move. After non-tendering JT Chargois and Austin Voth earlier this offseason, the M's need help in the bullpen. Some of that can hopefully be gained by healthy years from Matt Brash and Gregory Santos, but the M's will certainly need to hit on some fliers as well.
Feliz would fit that category, similarly to Justin Topa, Drew Steckenrider, Casey Sadler, Paul Sewald and Collin Snider before him.
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