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Phillies designate Neftalí Féliz for assignment

Citizens Bank Park has been the home of the Phillies since 2004. (Tim Kelly/Phillies Nation)

After Wednesday’s loss against the Miami Marlins, Joe Girardi hinted that reliever Neftalí Féliz’s time with the Philadelphia Phillies may be over after just two appearances.

That indeed appears to be the case, as the Phillies announced Wednesday afternoon that they’ve designated the former American League Rookie of the Year for assignment, with Brandon Kintzler set to return from the injured list Thursday and take Féliz’s spot on the roster.

Féliz – who hadn’t previously pitched in the majors since 2017 – was brought into high-leverage situations in both Cincinnati Monday and Philadelphia Wednesday. While some felt that it was unfair to immediately expect Féliz to thrive in these situations, the reality is that he got hammered. In two appearances, Féliz had allowed four earned runs, with the big blow coming Monday in the form of a grand slam by Reds slugger Nick Castellanos. Féliz’s brief stint with the Phillies will end with him having posted an ERA of 36.00.

While Féliz is out of the picture now, Kintzler is another accomplished veteran reliever that has struggled in 2021. Kintzler will return from a neck strain having already pitched in 20 games this season. The 36-year-old has an unsightly 8.50 ERA in 2021.