Héctor Neris

Neris was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies on May 28, 2010.[3] He pitched for the Dominican Summer League Phillies and was 1-1 with five saves and a 3.24 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 41.2 innings, holding batters to a .199 batting average.[2][4]

In 2011 he split the season between the Class A- Williamsport Crosscutters and the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws.[2][4] Neris was a combined 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 59 innings, averaging 11.0 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[4]

In 2012 Neris pitched for the Class A+ Clearwater Threshers.[4] He was 4-2 with six saves and a 3.55 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 78.2 innings, averaging 10.8 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[4]

In 2013 he pitched for the Class AA Reading Fightin Phils.[4] Neris was 6-4 with a 4.55 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 97 innings.[4]

In 2014 in the minors Neris split his time between Reading and the Class AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs.[4] He was a combined 6-3 with two saves and a 3.61 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 77.1 innings.[4]

Neris was called up to the majors for the first time on August 3, 2014.[5] He made his MLB debut on August 5, pitching a scoreless top of the 15th inning; the Phillies scored in the bottom of the inning earning Neris his first major league victory.[6] However, after the game, he was optioned back to Lehigh Valley to open a roster spot for the next night's starting pitcher, David Buchanan.[7] In 2014 with the Phillies he pitched in only that one game.[1]

He split time in 2015 between the AAA Lehigh Valley and the Phillies bullpen, appearing in 35 games. Neris finished 2-2 for the Phillies with a 3.79 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 40.1 innings, averaging 9.2 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[1] With Lehigh Valley, he was 1-3 with one save and a 3.62 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 37.2 innings.[1]

In 2016, Neris served as a setup man in the Phillies bullpen, with a record of 4-4, 2 saves, and 28 holds (tied for 4th in the NL), and posting an ERA of 2.58 in 79 games (3rd in the National League).[1][8] In ​80 ¹⁄₃ innings, he struck out 102 batters (2nd-most ever by a Phillies reliever, behind Dick Selma in 1970, and 31.1% of the batters he faced), averaging 11.4 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[1][2]

He pitched for the Dominican Republic national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[2]

In 2017, Neris served as the Phillies closer. He was 4-5 with a 3.01 ERA and had 26 saves (8th in the league) in 29 opportunities, and pitched in 74 games (5th in the NL).[1] He struck out 86 batters in 74.2 innings, averaging 10.4 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[1] He threw a splitter 51.3% of the time, tops in MLB.[9]

Neris began the 2018 season as the team's closer, but was demoted from the role a month into the season, and on June 18 was optioned to AAA. He was recalled just three days later.[10] On June 29 he was optioned to AAA for a second stint, after giving up five earned runs in a 17–7 loss to the Washington Nationals.[11] Neris returned to the major leagues on August 14.[12] He was named NL Reliever of the Month for August, after striking out 20 of the 32 batters he faced that month (62.5%).[13] In 2018 with the Phillies, he was 1-2 with 11 saves and a 5.10 ERA and struck out 76 batters in 47.2 innings, averaging 14.3 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[1] The only NL pitcher with a higher strikeout rate than Neris in 2018 was Josh Hader.[14] He threw a four-seam fastball that averaged 95 miles per hour.[15] He also threw a splitter 49.1% of the time, tops in MLB.[16] In 2018 with AAA Lehigh Valley, he was 2-0 with one save and a 1.15 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 18.2 innings, averaging 14.9 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[4]

In 2019 with the Phillies, Neris was 3-6 with 28 saves (7th in the National League) and a 2.93 ERA, as in 68 relief appearances in 67.2 innings he struck out 89 batters (averaging 11.8 strikeouts/9 innings).[17]