Texas Rangers put lefty starting pitcher Neftali Feliz on DL – MLB News
The Texas Rangers’ left handed starting pitcher Neftali Feliz will now be unavailable for next 15 important days as he is suffering from elbow inflammation. He has been put on to disabled list by team management who decided after Feliz’s MRI results were out which clearly makes him vulnerable at the moment to play in the Majors.
His potential replacement, right-handed reliever Yoshinori Tateyama will join soon from their Minor League affiliates Triple-A Round Rock.
Recent reports suggest that Feliz was suffering from elbow inflammation for quite some time and the Rangers skipper had already talked to him about his pain a few days back.
"I had a deep conversation with him with the translator to make sure what I was saying was being heard and being felt," Ron Washington said, "I wanted him to hear how much the guys depend on him and sometimes things don't go right when you're out there on the field, but you got to find it in yourself to straighenten it out the best you can. Not that he wasn't trying, it's just he tried hard but it just couldn't get there, so the decision (to pull him) fell in my lap and I had to make it.”
Feliz, whose role has been changed this season, was performing fine with 3.16 ERA along with 3-1 win loss, 37 strike-outs and 1.20 WHIP. Initially at start of the season, he proved his game as closer, but in the last offseason, the Rangers management gave him enough confidence to become a starter and from 2012 Spring Training, he has been performing quite well.
With overall career ERA of 2.67 along with 10-7 win-loss record, 201 strike-outs and 1.00 WHIP, also makes him a good player and his team can think of a different position for him.
In the meanwhile, some experts believe that Feliz is a good player and the Rangers certainly do not want him to lose for a long period of time. The Rangers on the other hand, playing well in this Major League season, but in order to achieve post season qualification, they certainly will need Feliz’s talents to excel.
Tags: