9:48pm: Feliz has elected free agency, Cotillo tweets. There will obviously be interest in his services, particularly as he has maintained his mid-90s velocity, though it remains to be seen whether Feliz will receive any immediate opportunities at the major league level.
1:39pm: Rangers righty Neftali Feliz has cleared outright waivers, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets. Feliz was designated for assignment last Friday.
The 27-year-old Feliz is playing on a $4.13MM arbitration deal this year and remains controllable for a final year in 2016. That obligation, combined with the sub-par performances that led to the DFA, likely ensured that he would not be claimed.
Because Feliz has topped five years of service at this point, after entering the year with 4.151 to his credit, he can choose to elect free agency without giving up his remaining salary. Per the report, Feliz is still deciding whether or not to take an assignment with Texas.
One one of the game’s more exciting young pen arms, Feliz has scuffled this season to a 5.09 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9. Though he’s had much better results in recent seasons, it has been some time since Feliz rated well in the eyes of ERA estimators. He has not dipped below the 4.00 mark by measure of SIERA since the 2011 season, after which the Rangers unsuccessfully sought to move him into the rotation.
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Braves should take a flyer on him.He can’t do any worse than the guys they’ve got now
This is definitely a move I could see John Hart making. I wouldn’t doubt seeing him in a Braves uni before long, pitching better under the guidance of McDowell.
I’m shocked that they couldn’t work out a trade
This July has been terribly boring
He really hasn’t been particularly good in the last 4 years ( low and declining K rates) and this year he’s been terrible and earns $4 mill. He had no trade value.
but the salary doesn’t matter. if he doesnt get traded, the rangers have to pay his full salary even if he elects free agency anyways. so they could have offered to eat his whole salary in a trade and perhaps get something in return. it’s better than this alternative where you just pay him his salary even though he is leaving.
the only way it would be better is if he accepted the triple a assignment but the team had to have known he would decline since he’s likely to be able to sign a deal somewhere else as he can sign for low money while the rangers continue paying his 4 mil salary.
I’d wonder how Feliz’s career would have played out had he not been thrust back into the starting rotation in 2012.
Ala Daniel Bard with the Sox
Okay, Dave. Here’s another low risk opportunity to try and improve the Tigers bullpen. Start him at Toledo.
I’d like to see the mets add him, he’s solid enough, especially compared to guys like Robles or the Torres boys
By this report…which is it?
“Feliz has elected free agency, Cotillo tweets. As Cotillo notes, Feliz will forfeit the approximately $2MM remaining on his contract”
or…
“Because Feliz has topped five years of service at this point, after entering the year with 4.151 to his credit, he can choose to elect free agency without giving up his remaining salary”.
To add to the confusion, the link where Cotillo say he will forfeit the salary, is broken. So many he deleted the tweet because he was wrong? Just guessing though.