Shocking News; Braves Head Coach Announced The Journey: From Struggles to Revival, Now Eyeing Key Role in Braves’ Bullpen

 

 

 

Neris, who will turn 36 in June, initially signed with the Phillies as an amateur from the Dominican Republic and made his MLB debut in 2014. However, his first appearance was brief, lasting only one inning, and he would have to wait until 2015 for a more significant opportunity in the majors. That year, he posted a 3.79 ERA across 32 relief appearances, despite some unimpressive peripheral stats. This solid showing earned him a regular role with the Phillies in 2016, which marked the beginning of the most productive stretch of his career.

From 2016 to 2019, Neris posted a 3.23 ERA (133 ERA+) with a 3.68 FIP over 270 1/3 innings. During this time, he struck out 31.3% of batters and regularly served as the team’s closer, recording 67 saves. However, while his overall performance was strong, 2018 was a tough year. Despite an outstanding 37.4% strikeout rate and a manageable 7.8% walk rate, Neris struggled with a 5.10 ERA, which was 19% worse than the league average. Injuries limited him to just 47 2/3 innings, and a high .354 BABIP coupled with a 22.9% home-run-to-fly-ball ratio contributed to his subpar results. Despite this, advanced metrics like FIP, xERA (3.81), and SIERA (2.28) were more favorable, suggesting that Neris’s performance was better than his ERA indicated.

Neris spent two more seasons with the Phillies, but his performance was fairly average, with a combined 3.84 ERA and 3.73 FIP over 98 appearances. However, he experienced a career revival after signing with the Astros in 2022. Over the next two seasons, he posted a stellar 2.69 ERA (150 ERA+) and a 3.10 FIP in 133 2/3 innings, striking out 29.1% of batters and walking just 9%. Despite only recording five saves due to the presence of closer Ryan Pressly, Neris’s resurgence led to another lucrative free-agent contract.

In the winter of 2023, Neris signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Cubs. Unfortunately, his season with Chicago was marked by inconsistency. After stepping into the closer role when Adbert Alzolay was sidelined with Tommy John surgery, Neris struggled with command, walking 13.3% of batters while striking out just 23.5%. His 3.89 ERA and 4.10 FIP over 44 innings were close to league average, but the Cubs ultimately designated him for assignment due to his wildness.

Neris was later picked up by the Astros for the stretch run, where his command improved, with a 28.1% strikeout rate and just a 3.1% walk rate. Unfortunately, his production declined significantly, as he posted a 4.70 ERA and 4.80 FIP in 15 1/3 innings, allowing four home runs in only 16 appearances. His disappointing performance caused him to linger on the free-agent market throughout the winter.

Now, Neris is set to compete for a spot in the Braves’ bullpen, following the news that right-hander Joe Jiménez would be out for 8-12 months after knee surgery. Jiménez’s absence left a gap in the Braves’ late-inning mix, and Neris could step in to challenge Pierce Johnson for a key setup role in 2025. Even if he doesn’t fully return to his prior form, Neris could provide valuable veteran depth for the Braves’ bullpen, which has been depleted by Jiménez’s injury and Grant Holmes’ move to the starting rotation.