T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com speculates that the Rangers could be a fit for free agent reliever Octavio Dotel.

The Rangers met with Dotel's agency, Beverly Hills Sports Council, on Tuesday and some team officials have a high opinion of the veteran right-hander. Dotel, who turned 38 last month, posted a solid 3.50 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio over 54 frames this season. He has drawn interest from several teams, including the Cardinals, Reds, Tigers and Brewers.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports that the Tigers and Brewers have met with free agent reliever Octavio Dotel's representatives.

Dotel held a 3.50 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio over 54 innings for the Blue Jays and Cardinals this season. The Cardinals are interested in bringing him back despite declining his option, and the Reds and Mets are also reportedly interested in him.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals remain in contact with free agent Octavio Dotel.

"Dotel would like to be a Cardinal," said Dotel's agent Dan Horwits. "Obviously, the Cardinals have some other contracts to address first, and we understand that." Dotel turned 38 last week, but posted a solid 3.50 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio over 54 frames this season and was a crucial cog in the Cards' bullpen during the postseason. The Reds, Tigers and Mets also reportedly have interest.

MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that the Mets are "strong players" for free agent Octavio Dotel.

The Cardinals, Reds and Tigers are also known to have interest. Dotel turned 38 years old last week, but he posted a solid 3.50 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio over 54 innings this year and shut down a number of big-time righties during the postseason. St. Louis declined a $3.5 million option on the veteran reliever in late October.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com, the Cardinals, Reds, and Tigers are among the teams who have expressed interest in free agent reliever Octavio Dotel.

Dotel, who turned 38 last week, posted a 3.50 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio over 54 innings this season and was an important part of the Cardinals' World Series run. St. Louis declined Dotel's $3.5 million option late last month, but they remain interested in bringing him back at a lesser salary.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Cardinals have had "multiple discussions" about bringing back Octavio Dotel.

The interest appears to be mutual. The Cardinals declined Dotel's $3.5 million option late last month, which came as a minor surprise, but they could attempt to bring him back at a lesser salary. The 37-year-old right-hander posted a 3.28 ERA and 32/5 K/BB ratio over 24 2/3 innings with St. Louis this season and was a crucial bullpen cog during the team's World Series run.

Cardinals declined Octavio Dotel's $3.5 million option for 2012.

A minor surprise, Dotel will receive a $750,000 buyout. It's worth noting that he qualifies as a Type A free agent, so the Cardinals could have the upper hand in contract negotiations. The 37-year-old right-hander posted a 3.50 ERA and 62/17 K/BB ratio over 54 innings this season between St. Louis and Toronto.

Tony La Russa hinted that he will not exercise his mutual option with the Cardinals in 2012, according to the Associated Press.

"What's happened to this club on the right-handed bullpen side is very exciting going forward," La Russa said. "Our focus is right now, we're not talking about 2012 or anybody's free agency. The nucleus of this club, I think it's pretty well set. There are a lot of things that are for sure about next year's club that I think make it literally an outstanding situation." La Russa also mentioned that he will hold a charity event in January at the team's Winter Warmup and has given strong indications that he plans to return. He is currently third on the career list with 64 postseason victories, behind only Joe Torre and Bobby Cox.

Cardinals acquired RHP Octavio Dotel from the Blue Jays in the Colby Rasmus deal.

Dotel has turned in a very respectable season, despite diminished velocity and an increased contact rate, posting a 3.68 ERA and 30/12 K/BB ratio over 29 1/3 innings. As long as Tony La Russa keeps him away from left-handed batters, he shouldn't be a disaster.

Octavio Dotel earned his second relief win on Sunday, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings against the Phillies.

Dotel entered in the eighth inning down 4-3 with a runner on second and managed to escape unscathed. After Toronto took a three-run lead in the bottom half of the eighth, Blue Jays manager John Farrell sent Dotel back to the mound. The veteran right-hander retired the Phillies in order on a pop out sandwiched between a pair of strikeouts. His strong outing further muddles the Jays' closer situation. Jon Rauch had pitched in the previous two games, but he has only two saves since April and has not been a reliable late-game option since then. But Frank Francisco, despite blowing a save on Friday, was well rested. Stay tuned to see how this latest development unfolds.

Octavio Dotel posted just his second clean frame of the season in Toronto's loss to the Yankees on Wednesday.

He struck out one in one inning of work, lowering his ERA from 6.75 to 5.40. Still rounding back to full health after dealing with a hamstring issue earlier this season, expect Dotel to soon starting racking up strikeouts, if not necessarily scoreless innings.

Blue Jays activated RHP Octavio Dotel from the 15-day disabled list.

Dotel missed the first several games of the regular season due to a strained left hamstring. He will operate as a late-innings setup man for the Jays this year.

Blue Jays manager John Farrell said Octavio Dotel (hamstring) should join the team during their upcoming road trip.

The Blue Jays kick off their road trip against the Angels on Friday and don't come home until April 19, so that's a pretty large window for his potential return. Dotel, who is currently on the disabled list with a left hamstring injury, is scheduled to pitch in a minor league game Sunday.

The Blue Jays have confirmed that Octavio Dotel (hamstring) will open the season on the disabled list.

He'll join fellow reliever Frank Francisco and No. 2 starter Brandon Morrow. The move will be backdated, which means Dotel will be eligible to return on April 6. He'll likely be ready then or shortly after.

Octavio Dotel (hamstring) is likely to open the regular season on the 15-day disabled list.

Dotel suffered an unfortunate late-spring hamstring injury and the Jays are simply going to play it safe. They can back-date his disabled list stint to March 22 so that he only misses a handful of regular season games.

Octavio Dotel (hamstring) is scheduled to pitch one inning in a minor league game Thursday.

Dotel struck out two over one scoreless inning in his first minor league appearance on Tuesday. It's not yet clear if he will have enough time to be ready for Opening Day, but we'll probably know a lot more about the Jays' plans following Thursday's outing.

Octavio Dotel (hamstring) pitched a free and easy inning Tuesday in a minor league game.

Dotel has been held out of Grapefruit League action due to a left hamstring injury. The Blue Jays are optimistic that he will be recovered by the regular season opener. "We want to be sure that he hasn't altered his delivery in any way," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "Make sure that the hamstring is not an issue, or any lingering effects to the stride length, or the overall delivery."

Octavio Dotel (hamstring) is expected to appear in Saturday's game.

The right-hander has already been scratched twice from a pair of scheduled appearances this week, but he'll try to give it a go again Saturday. He threw a light bullpen session Thursday without any problems. The veteran is still a question mark for Opening Day.

Octavio Dotel (hamstring) threw a light bullpen session Thursday.

Dotel was scratched from his two scheduled outings this week due to a left hamstring injury, but he's slowly working himself back towards game action. Frank Francisco is dealing with a sore pectoral muscle, so the Blue Jays bullpen is one of the more interesting -- or frustrating -- closer situations to track going into Opening Day.

Octavio Dotel was scratched from his scheduled outings for this week due to a sore left hamstring.

He injured his left hamstring muscle last Tuesday and is limited to throwing off flat ground for now. "I really don't like that, to be honest with you," said Dotel. "I like to get my innings in Spring Training so I can be ready for the season. So at this point, we just have wait for my situation right now. I'm just going to give it time and see if I can get my hamstring the way it's supposed to and then we'll go from there." Dotel and Frank Francisco are both sidelined with injuries at the moment, so Jon Rauch could emerge as the favorite for saves should they have to open the season on the disabled list.