Rangers decline options on Feldman, Tateyama, purchase Miller contract

The Rangers have made a series of roster moves, declining their options for 2013 on Scott Feldman and Yoshinori Tateyama, reinstating Neftali Feliz from the 60 day disabled list, and purchasing the contract of righthanded pitcher Justin Miller.

Feldman's option was for $9.25 million with a $600,000 buyout, and while at one point this summer I thought there was the possibility that the option might be exercised, Feldman's poor performance over the final couple of months sealed his fate and ensured that the Rangers would decline the option.

Tateyama has bounced back and forth between AAA and the majors in 2011 and 2012, and while he appears to have some utility as a righthanded specialist, for whatever reason, the Rangers were reluctant to use him in such a role, turning to him for long relief instead.

Feliz being activated from the disabled list is merely a procedural move.

Miller was added to the 40 man roster last offseason, after a strong 2011 campaign that saw him put up a 1.81 ERA in 69.2 relief innings for AA Frisco. Miller underwent Tommy John surgery early in the 2012 season, and the Rangers released him and then brought him back on a minor league deal immediately thereafter. Miller is someone who is viewed as having a potential future in a major league bullpen, although recovering from surgery likely means he will not be 100% at the start of the year, and is more likely to be an option in 2014, at the earliest.