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The New York Mets have told veteran reliever Pedro Feliciano that he will not make the team's Opening Day roster, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York. As a result, Feliciano is considering opting out of his contract with the Mets.
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New York wants to send Feliciano to Triple-A in order for the left-hander to build up his arm strength. The 36-year-old believes he is ready for the majors now, and he told reporters that he will strongly consider opting out of his current deal. Before an official decision is made, Feliciano will talk things over with his agent.
The Mets had a deadline to let Feliciano know whether or not he would break camp with the club. If he would accept his assignment to Triple-A, he would earn a $100k retention bonus -- due to his veteran status -- according to Rubin.
This spring, Feliciano's progression was delayed due to a heart issue that proved to be non-alarming. His fastball has hovered in the 82-83 mph range, but he believes his success has more to do with his deception than his velocity.
The news that the Mets will not include Feliciano on their Opening Day roster seems to be good news for Robert Carson, according to Rubin. He would appear to have a leg up on the only other left-handed reliever in camp, Scott Rice, to fill the role of the second southpaw out of New York's bullpen.
