Section 215
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The Philadelphia Phillies are bringing back a handful of familiar faces for 2021

By David Esser

Sep 8, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin (56) and catcher Andrew Knapp (5) stand for the anthem before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 8, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin (56) and catcher Andrew Knapp (5) stand for the anthem before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 15, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 15, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

Hector Neris, RHP (one-year/$5 million)

Technically speaking, the Philadelphia Phillies got Hector Neris back on a “discounted price”. The veteran right-hander was set to earn $7 million in 2021 via a club-option, but the Phillies declined said option due to his poor 2020 campaign. This allowed the Phillies to sign Neris back on a cheaper deal, saving them $2 million in the process.

Once more, in a vacuum $5 million for Neris doesn’t look like a horrible signing. He’s had success at the major league level in the past, and while he struggled in 2020, some of the sabermetrics point to him being better than his ERA/WHIP would initially suggest.

There’s reason to believe that Neris can bounce-back in 2021, and solidify himself as one of Joe Girardi’s go-to bullpen arms. $5 million isn’t a huge price to pay in terms of gambling on Neris, and like previously mentioned they’re already “saving” a bit of money compared to what his club-option would’ve been.

Personally speaking, I think the biggest pathway to success for Neris moving forward is sliding into a set-up role, as opposed to being the team’s primary closer. The analytics show a man who has the stuff to be a legit MLB reliever, but his mental lapses have proven to be too costly in the ninth inning.

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