The Reds have claimed right-handed reliever Michael Feliz off waivers from the Pirates, per a club announcement. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Cincinnati designated righty Sal Romano for assignment.
Feliz, 27, was one of four players the Pirates acquired in the 2017 trade that sent Gerrit Cole to Houston. He came to the Bucs with a heater that averaged better than 96 mph and a 33.8 percent strikeout rate compiled between the 2016-17 seasons. Those numbers have all taken a step back since the trade.
Feliz posted a 3.99 ERA for the Pirates through 56 1/3 innings in 2019 — his best season in the big leagues to date. However, he was hampered by shoulder and forearm issues during his time in Pittsburgh, and his fastball was averaging a career-low 94.1 mph through 7 2/3 innings in 2021. He still posted an above-average 27.7 percent strikeout rate in Pittsburgh, but his walk rate rose a bit (to 10.6 percent) and Feliz was also quite homer-prone, serving up 18 long balls in 113 1/3 frames.
Overall, Feliz has pitched 234 1/3 innings in the Majors and has only a 5.07 ERA to show for it. Fielding-independent marks are more bullish on the righty (4.01 FIP, 3.31 SIERA), so the Reds will hope that a change of scenery will help him get on track and tap into the potential that once made him one of the Astros’ most promising farmhands. Feliz is out of minor league options, so he’ll immediately join the Reds’ bullpen and try to sort things out at the MLB level.
The 27-year-old Romano showed some promise as a rookie back in 2017, when he logged a 4.45 ERA through 16 starts (87 innings). He’s struggled through every big league opportunity he’s had since that time, working to a collective 5.48 ERA through 184 frames with a well below-average strikeout rate (16.3 percent) and roughly average marks in terms of grounder and walk rates (44.4 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively).
Like Feliz, Romano is out of options, meaning any club that claims him or acquires him in a trade would have to carry him on the big league roster. The Reds will have a week to see if there’s a team interested in acquiring him or to try to pass him through outright waivers.
Ah yes DFA the only guy who could keep the Rockies off the bases yesterday. Makes sense
So you want to keep a pitcher who has a multiple season poor track record based on 1 outing? Glad your not making decisions for the team.
Reds ownership has no clue what they are doing. Spent a fortune in 20 only to sell off the assets they need to compete in 21. Their pen is so terrible they’ll never stay in any game when behind as every pitcher they have for a spot like that carriers an era between 5-10. That means they give up 2-3 runs everytime they are behind ina game and have to pull their starter. And now they are claiming guys getting cut off the worst team in baseball to fill that need. Shame !
They scaled back due to covid last year lots of teams have done that. You seem to think you know everything about owning a team.. Probably a Red Sox or Yankees fan
I think he’s a Cardinals fan posing as a Reds fan. He does nothing but bash the team, and swore during the off-season that he was leaving reds fandom to start rooting for another team. We’ll miss you bot. Not
You complain about the Reds bullpen being a disappointment, yet you bash them for swapping out the last man in it. Go back to St. Louie.
Ugh! Impossible to change teams. Watching em getting drummed again by Rockies now. 5-2 in the 3rd. When reds pull Miley – if they are down – they have no one to keep em in the games.
Has their been a bigger disappointment than Castillo this season ??
Brantley noted that Castillo’s landing foot was going toward 3rd base. Hopefully it’s fixable.
Castillo is terrible this year and seems to be to stubborn to correct the mistake he is making leaving the ball right down the middle and getting killed every time he does it . Ramona has been given plenty of chances in the past althought this year hasnt been that bad… Cionel Perezx is terrible i guess the only reason he stays is because he is a lefty.
Perez is a lefty with a minor league option. Romano is a righty with no more options.
Reds are claiming any guy with a live arm to let Derek Johnson and their pitching team get a close look for a little while. Plus they’re down a pitcher for 5 games due to Garrett’s suspension so this at least brings in a fresh arm.
I understand Perez has options which means they could send him to alternate training site and still keep him . /Romano doesnt and he has pitched better than Perez this year
Absolutely agree!
I guess I’m a bit odd, but this seems a nice get by the Reds.
It is but I’m not sure Romano is the right guy to DFA
Why not? He can’t miss bats. Not sure what separates him from a typical AAA pitcher.
I agree Brandon.
Knowing the Pirates luck he will turn into Mariano Rivera
Yes, you will see.
Perez would have been the one to dump but with Garretts suspension they must think a bad left handed reliever is better than a mediocre right handed one
Perez has options. Romano does not. Probably as simple as that. Plus Perez has better stuff.
Romano was the weakest link. Hopefully this move is the start of multiple moves to sure up the pen.
Is the Pirates bullpen so deep that Feliz is the guy they cut? I’m asking that seriously to fans who follow the team, not as a dig!
To call up Hartlieb.
Did he call someone a four-syllable word?
Considering it still contains lackluster retreads like Stratton and Underwood Jr, it can’t possibly be that deep.
Underwood Jr.’s been pretty decent this year. Getting a lot of swings and misses, has a decent xFIP and SIERA. He had a 3.57 ERA going into Wednesday’s game vs the Reds, but struggled. Really the only time he’s struggled badly this year.
99-Relatively speaking,their bullpen is the best part of the team.
That being said,the outfield has been so awful that they should not have dropped Feliz for any of the numerous losers that they have employed there.
I am no fan of Feliz but at times he has been better than average.He is a fairly decent seventh inning pitcher,but don’t trust him in high leverage situations.I am a little surprised that he lasted until the Reds,and that the Pirates could not have received an A level flier for him.
He kind of looks like Mike Tomlin in that pic.
Feliz should be a help for the Reds Bullpen.
Romano is to be claimed by the Pirates…
Seen Romano grow up he’s a good kid. I hope he gets another shot in a ballpark that isn’t homer friendly.
He’s a good guy, no doubt. He didn’t progress. He gives up hard contact and the ballpark isn’t the problem.