Another injury has hindered one of the Phillies top offseason additions
Phillies reliever Pat Neshek hasn’t thrown a pitch for the team all season, and his first won’t be coming anytime soon. The 38-year-old suffered a mild flexor strain while recovering from a shoulder strain, according to general manager Matt Kletak.
Neshek was acquired last year from the Houston Astros for a player to be named later or cash, and became the more effective pitchers in the organization. Making 43 appearances for Philadelphia last year Neshek had a career-best 1.12 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 40.1 innings as the bridge to closer Hector Neris.
Neshek was the organization’s lone representative at the All-Star game, his second in four years.
Philadelphia received a haul for Neshek at the trade deadline from the Colorado Rockies, receiving prospects Jose Gomez, J.D. Hammer, and Alejandro Requena, two of whom are rated in the organization’s top-30 prospects.
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Klentak brought Neshek back during the Winter Meetings on a two year, $16,200,000 contract with a $7 million club option for 2020. After suffering the shoulder injury prior to opening day, Neshek was shutdown and not due back for several weeks.
At 37-years-old Neshek and the medical staff will certainly be cautious going forward with rehab. Luckily, the team’s bullpen is in excellent shape with Victor Arano, Seranthony Dominguez, Edubray Ramos, and Yacksel Rios holding down the fort.
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Philadelphia is, after all, sitting atop the NFC East with New York in a very tight division race, so the arrival of Neshek will be anticipated for the latter half of the season.