Neftali Feliz is looking doubtful for the start of the regular season, as his shoulder still bothers him.

Even if he does end up pitching from the mound, manager Ron Washington on Friday indicated it was uncertain if Feliz would pitch on Monday as scheduled. Washington said the club would probably have to decide by the middle of the week if Feliz would be able to pitch enough to start the season.

“We are going to be smart,” pitching coach Mike Maddux said. “We’re in this for the long haul.”

Right. The Rangers are going to be better off giving Feliz time to heal properly, then send him to extended spring training. He’s not going to miss that much of the season. On the other hand, the Rangers don’t get many days off in April, so they’ll often need a fifth starter.