Door remains open for Neftali Feliz to be Tigers closer

He isn't on the free-agent market nor a trade target, but if the Tigers strike out in their quest to land a closer over the next few weeks, they have an in-house option with closing experience — right-hander Neftali Feliz.

And though he isn't their most ideal option — the reliever struggled mightily this past season — the team is keeping all its options open, general manager Al Avila said during the general managers meetings last week.

"I think we have to look at it separately for now, because there could be fits both ways," Avila said. "We still have time obviously to make a decision on Feliz, and we'll be involved in that. But we have to see where this takes us, too. … It's hard to say one way or the other."

Despite a 7.62 second-half ERA with the team and four blown saves in eight chances this past season, Feliz has a record of success the Tigers won't ignore.

In seven seasons, Feliz has a 3.17 ERA with 97 saves.

"I would say that we like Feliz," Avila said in his season-ending meeting with reporters last month. "We'll be evaluating, we'll be discussing him along with a lot of other guys."

On Tuesday, Avila wouldn't say whether the team has talked with Feliz's agent.

They don't have to make a decision on him until the nontender deadline in early December — Feliz is in his third year of arbitration eligibility — and they hope to have their closer situation cleared up by then.

Feliz made $4.12 million in 2015. He is projected to make $5.2 million in arbitration by MLBTradeRumors.com.

Given that price, his production and the team's multiple needs, offering him arbitration remains a longshot. But until the closer markets shake out over the next few weeks, the Tigers won't close the door on his return.

Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech .