It was the same old song and dance for the Chicago Cubs at the end of the 2023 season: they could've used an extra arm or two to help their efforts down the home stretch, especially in the bullpen.
Don’t get me wrong, the Cubs bullpen was impressive last season. From Adbert Alzolay becoming a shutdown closer to Julian Merryweather showing out after being DFA’d the prior offseason to Javier Assad flashing versatility, the Cubs’ bullpen had its bright spots in 2023.
However, a plethora of injuries to the pitching staff, including former Marcus Stroman being on the shelf for most of September, left the remaining Cubs' arms out of gas in the final stretch.
Bolstering the Bullpen
With Spring Training just around the corner, the Cubs could use a few more relief pitchers for the upcoming campaign. One name who would immediately bolster the bullpen is Hector Neris.
Neris has been a quality MLB relief pitcher since making his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014. However, the right-hander broke out in a big way for the Houston Astros last season, which was the best of his career to date.
Neris posted a 1.71 ERA with 77 strikeouts, 31 walks, a 10.1 K/9, and held opposing hitters to a .174 batting average in 68.1 innings pitched last season. He also placed in at least the 90th percentile in pitching run value, fastball run value, expected batting average, average exit velocity, and hard-hit percentage.
Neris relies on a four-seam fastball, which he threw over 50% of the time in 2023, that hovers around the mid to low 90s, along with a splitter, sinker, and slider.
Now, Neris is reportedly seeking a 1-2 year deal in the $7-11 million range. Compared to other recent relief pitcher signings, that seems like a reasonable price given his recent production. Take former Cubs hurler Aroldis Chapman for example. The lefty just signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 61 games last season, Chapman threw 10 fewer innings than Neris and logged a 3.09 ERA. Sure, Chapman’s 100+ MPH fastball is an eye-catcher for teams, but Neris proved to be just as effective as the fire-balling southpaw in 2023.
Should the Cubs decide to take a chance on Neris, it would only bolster a crucial area that needed reinforcements. Add in the wild card that is Tommy Hottovy’s pitch lab along with newly hired manager Craig Counsell’s expertise in bullpen management, and Neris could be an exciting addition to the Cubs relief corps in 2024.
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