Former Texas Rangers All-Star Reliever Lands Deal With Division Rival

A former Texas Rangers superstar is signing with an American League West rival.
Jul 3, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Neftali Feliz (30) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Angels defeated the Rangers 8-2.
Jul 3, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Neftali Feliz (30) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Angels defeated the Rangers 8-2. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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A former Texas Rangers superstar reliever has landed with a new team, and it's within the American League West.

According to a post from the Seattle Mariners, they have agreed to terms on a minor league deal with Neftali Feliz which includes an invite to big league spring training.

Feliz, who has not pitched at the MLB level since 2021, has spent the last three seasons in the Mexican League with various teams.

His career with the Rangers got off to a tremendous start in 2009, making 20 appearances and pitching to a 1.74 ERA with two saves before his first full season the next year. He became a household name, being named an All-Star and winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award with Texas in 2010.

That year, Feliz took over the closer role early in the season and would go on to record 40 saves with a 2.73 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched.

He continued that strong showing into the postseason with clutch playoff performances which helped the Rangers reach their first World Series in franchise history. Though they would lose to the San Francisco Giants in five games, Feliz recorded a save in Texas' only win of the series in Game 3

The following season, Feliz was equally as dominant with a 2.74 ERA and 32 saves, helping the Rangers to a second consecutive American League pennant, but things ended in heartbreak after a blown save from him in Game 6 against the St. Louis Cardinals led to a Game 7 defeat and back-to-back World Series losses.

In 2012, Texas brought Feliz out of the bullpen and into the starting rotation. He saw success, but it was short lived when he was forced to have Tommy John surgery and missed most of the 2013 season.

Feliz was never the same after that and was eventually released by the Rangers, bouncing around the league for brief stints with the Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as several minor league agreements.

Now, 36 years old and turning 37 in May, how much Feliz has left in the tank is a major question mark, but the Mariners are giving him no guarantees and it's worth the risk after he has posted fairly solid numbers during the three seasons in Mexico.

Texas fans will always wonder what could have been after such a dominant beginning to his career and eventual disappointing ending to his time with the Rangers.


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