Former Mets Pitcher Pedro Feliciano Dies at Age 45

Former New York Mets pitcher Pedro Feliciano died Sunday night at the age of 45, as ESPN's Eduardo Perez reported Monday:

The Mets confirmed the news in a statement:

"The Mets are so saddened to hear of the loss to their family today. Pedro Feliciano will be remembered as a beloved member of the Mets organization for his impact as a great teammate as well as his reputation as one of the most competitive, durable and reliable relievers during his time in Queens. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Feliciano family. Rest in peace, Pedro."

Feliciano appeared in 484 games as a reliever across nine seasons with the Mets from 2002-13. The lefty specialist led the league in pitching appearances in three straight seasons from 2008-10.

Though Feliciano signed with the New York Yankees in 2011, injuries kept him off the field in each of the next two seasons before returning to the Mets in 2013. 

The Puerto Rico native also spent time in the minors with St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds, plus one year in Japan, but only appeared in the majors for the Mets. 

His 484 games pitched ranks second in Mets history behind only John Franco (695), finishing his career with a 22-21 record and 3.33 ERA.