According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports on Twitter, the Milwaukee Brewers have signed RHP Neftali Feliz to a one-year deal. Passan also adds that the deal is worth $5.35 million and can reach $6.85 if incentives are hit.
Feliz, 28, broke into MLB with the Texas Rangers when the righty was a 21-year-old.
A year later, Feliz appeared in his first all-star game and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, locking down 40 games for Texas, while holding a 4-3 record and a 2.73 ERA.
In 2011, Feliz saved 32 games for the Rangers, but after Texas tried to transition the hard throwing righty into a starter, he missed almost all of 2012 and 2013.
Feliz came back in 2014 in a non-closer relief role and pitched to a 1.99 ERA in 30 games, but in 2015, Feliz split time between the Rangers and the Detroit Tigers, where his ERA inflated to 6.38 in 48 games between the two teams.
Feliz bounced back in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 62 games, the righty pitched to a 4-2 record with a 3.52 ERA.
Milwaukee intends to use Feliz in a closer capacity, and with Feliz having closing experience earlier in his career and now being in his prime years, this could be a smart and effective signing for the Brew Crew.
On a side note, Feliz is one more domino that has fallen, and the Nationals still don’t have a closer.
