Phillies News: Dodgers Sign Neftalí Feliz

After being designated for assignment by the Philadelphia Phillies and becoming a free agent on July 3, veteran righty Neftalí Feliz and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a minor-league deal.

Signed to a minor-league deal in December, Feliz was unable to pitch effectively for the Phillies this season. The sample size is quite small, but given the Phillies’ bullpen woes, they clearly decided that they did not need another liability. Over two games (June 28 vs. Cincinnati, June 30 vs. Miami), he was only able to pitch one inning, giving up four earned runs on four hits, walking a batter, and striking out two of nine batters faced. This brings his era to 36.00.

Prior to this season, Feliz’s last appearance in the majors was for the Royals on August 13, 2017. He posted a 4.74 ERA over 20 games, striking out 16 batters over 19 innings.

The last few years have been a struggle for Feliz, who won Rookie of the Year and made his sole All-Star appearance in 2010. That season, he posted a 2.73 ERA over 70 games, with 40 saves, striking out 71 batters over 69 1/3 innings. He was crucial in helping the Rangers advance through the postseason, helping them win their first American League pennant.

At only 33 years old, Feliz might still have something in the tank. The two-game sample size isn’t exactly a fair shake, and Feliz had been successful in Triple-A. With Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he posted a 1.26 ERA over 14 1/3 innings, signs of a promising comeback.

Unfortunately, due to the Phillies’ current bullpen struggles, Feliz was thrown into the fire immediately, with no room for error. They are ranked 19th in saves, but lead MLB with 22 blown saves; no other team has more than 17.

It’s still unclear if Dave Dombrowski will have the Phillies be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, or if the Phillies will tread water until the offseason. One thing is certain, though: this current Phillies bullpen doesn’t work.