Latest Mariners roster cuts could spell the end for former All-Star closer

The Seattle Mariners are really starting to trim their spring training roster down to size, as a series of moves over the weekend cut it down to 43 players.

Among the casualties was a pitcher who Mariners fans might not have even been aware was with the team this spring, but his name should nonetheless ring a bell: Neftalí Feliz.

The 36-year-old right-hander was in Peoria as a non-roster invitee after signing with the Mariners on a minor league deal. He made four appearances this spring, allowing six hits and striking out only one batter as he allowed three runs in four innings. The Mariners announced his release on Friday.

A Brief History of Neftalí Feliz

That Feliz is in the news at all could make one question what year it is. It's been a minute since his heyday, after all, though what a heyday it was. Indeed, there was a five-season window between 2007 and 2011 when Feliz was one of the more consequential players in Major League Baseball.

Said window opened on July 31, 2007, when Feliz was part of the seven-player trade that sent Mark Teixeira from the Texas Rangers to the Atlanta Braves. He subsequently became a big part of why that deal came to be infamous in Atlanta and famous in Arlington. He was an All-Star and the AL Rookie of the Year for the Rangers in 2010, saving 40 games and racking up a 2.73 ERA over 70 appearances.

Feliz averaged 97.6 mph on his fastball that year. That kind of velocity is fairly regular by today's standards, but back then it was the second-best average among relievers.

Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia also went to Texas in the Teixeira trade. Along with Feliz, all four ended up contributing to the team's back-to-back World Series runs in 2010 and 2011.

The '11 World Series provided the defining moment of Feliz's career, though it's not flattering to him. He was the guy who threw the pitch that David Freese hit for the game-tying triple in the bottom of the ninth of Game 6, and with two outs and a 1-2 count against him no less. Freese struck again to win that game for the St. Louis Cardinals, and again in Game 7 to help them win that one as well.

Feliz had Tommy John surgery in 2012, and his career was never really the same after that. He pitched to a 4.40 ERA between 2014 and 2017, and then had a three-year absence from the majors before resurfacing again for five appearances in 2021.

Prior to showing in Peoria, Feliz had spent the last three seasons in the Mexican League. He frankly didn't have much to show the Mariners, with his fastball registering at an average of just 92.5 mph.

Following his release, it seems reasonable to wonder if Feliz's MLB career may finally be over for good. If so, we at SoDo Mojo wish him well and would like to congratulate him for all he's accomplished in nearly two decades in professional baseball.

Other Mariners Moves of Note

As to other roster moves Mariners fans should be aware of, the team's PR department also announced these via X (formerly Twitter):

• Optioned to Triple-A Tacoma: RHP Will Klein, INF Tyler Locklear
• Re-assigned to minor league camp: INF Nick Dunn, OF Samad Taylor, INF Ben Williamson, INF Cole Young
• Claimed off waivers: RHP Seth Martinez by the Miami Marlins

Mariners fans will know Young, Locklear and Williamson as being among the team's top prospects. For MLB Pipeline, they rank as No. 3, No. 11, and No. 13 talents in the farm system, respectively. All three are candidates to impact the Mariners in 2025, though it may take injuries for that to happen.

Klein, Dunn and Taylor had been making noise in spring training, but none of the three was ever likely to crack the Opening Day roster. Klein is a member of the 40-man roster, and thus has the clearest avenue to playing time in Seattle.

For his part, Martinez had only just arrived in Mariners camp via a waiver claim that took him off the Marlins' roster. His one appearance in the Cactus League resulted in four runs scoring as he got just two outs. He was out of minor league options, leaving the Mariners no choice but to designate him for assignment. Evidently, Miami wanted him back.

With Martinez gone, right-hander Casey Legumina is in better position to turn a strong spring (5.0 IP, 1 ER) into a spot in the Mariners bullpen.