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Phillies 2018 season preview: Closing pitcher Hector Neris

By Koy Zdimal

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 25: Hector Neris #50 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on August 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 25: Hector Neris #50 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on August 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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Last season Hector Neris took over as the Phillies closer in the middle of the season. Now it’s time to see him continue last year’s success.

It is hard to rack up saves for a team that only wins 66 games. Yet Hector Neris was quietly eighth in the National League with 26 saves. Only taking over the role for the Phillies later on in the year, Neris rode late-season success to 20 straight converted saves to close out 2017.

Neris had a very good 2017. Going 4-5 with a 3.01 ERA and converting 26 out of 29 saves. He has been very reliable since joining the Phillies in 2015. With a 2.98 career ERA, Neris has completed 80% of his 35 career save opportunities. He has exceeded 70 games and 70 innings in each of the previous two seasons, punching out 188 batters over the span.

Closing games was very hard for the team as all their other pitchers went a dreadful seven for 28 in save opportunities. When Neris took over the role, he succeeded instantly. Now he will enter the year as the closer. With a much stronger team around him, Neris will likely appear more often.

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Neris’s best pitch is his slider, which he throws 50.2% of the time (via Bleacher Report). Opposing hitters struggled off the pitch hitting a mere .179. He used it as his dominant strikeout pitch recording 68 punch outs with the slider.

Baseball Prospectus sees Neris taking a major step back. They project him at a career-high  4.29 ERA  while locking up 28 saves. Granted these projections often very conservative and often project reliever ERAs much higher than what they turn out to be. Neris was projected to have a 3.56 ERA last year, yet he had a 3.01 ERA once the season was said and done.

Personally, I see Neris in the 2.60-3.20 range. WIth a much more talented and hopefully successful team, he will pass 30 saves on the year. I see him completing 85% of his save situations.

Next: Are the Phillies going to lock up young talent?

Neris will be a huge part of the Phillies playoff push. Locking games down last season was a large struggle for the Phils last year. Completing 90% of their games last year could have boosted them to over 80 wins. If Neris can be a shutdown closer, the first eight innings will be a lot easier for Gabe Kapler and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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