Texas Rangers: Could Neftali Feliz Return to Arlington in 2018?

Reliever Neftali Feliz used to be an elite relief pitcher with the Texas Rangers, but since his departure in 2015 he’s seen little success in the Majors. Could we see a reunion between Feliz and Texas next season?

The main focus of the Texas Rangers this off-season is finding starting pitching help. Adding to the bullpen is needed as well, and reliever Neftali Feliz could possibly bring some help to the pen in Arlington.

He started his career with Texas in 2009, and made an impact immediately. Through seven seasons with Texas, Feliz went 13-10 with a 2.69 ERA in 216 games with 93 saves. The 29-year-old has not seen much success since he left Texas.

In 2017 Feliz signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers for $5.35 million. He was expected to battle for the closer role, but notched just eight saves and a 6.00 ERA in 29 games.

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He was released by the Brewers in June, and signed with the Kansas City Royals a few days later. His stint with them didn’t go much better as he finished with a 4.74 ERA in 20 games before being released in September.

That’s not the Feliz that Rangers fans remember, and hopefully that same pitcher is still in there. In 2009 Feliz went 4-3 with a 2.73 ERA in 70 games and 40 saves with Texas. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year balloting.

He went on to have a strong career with Texas even though it ended on a sour note. There is a chance Feliz can be a reliable option for the Rangers next season. He’s worth taking a chance on especially with the amount of success he’s had in Arlington.