Per Mark Feinstand of MLB.com, the Yankees and Rangers are emerging as front runners for free agent reliever, Hector Neris. Neris' market has ramped up the last few days and is expected to sign shortly.
Neris, 34, is a 10-year veteran who has spent his career with Philadelphia and Houston. Neris is known for his firey demeanor along with his flamethrower pitching style. Neris pitched to an outstanding 1.71 ERA across 68.1 innings last season, striking out 77 batters. As a closer/reliever, those numbers are quite extraordinary.
What this means for the Yankees...
Looking at the Yankees side of things, bullpen never seems to be an issue for them. One thing Yankee fans have to give GM Brian Cashman, he puts together one hell of a bullpen. The Yankees may have had a disappointing 2023, but not at the fault of their bullpen. They ranked first in all of baseball in bullpen ERA (3.34), per Covers.com. Adding Neris solidifies that even more.
With the Yankees missing out on Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, stacking their bullpen might be exactly what Brian Cashman does.
What this means for the Rangers...
The Texas Rangers are fresh off of their magical 2023 World Series run, capturing their first Fall Classic in franchise history. Taking a dive into the Rangers bullpen, Neris is almost a necessity. They ranked 24th in the league in bullpen ERA (4.77), per Covers.com.
Adding Neris to a already established pitching staff could be what the Rangers need to look toward repeating as champions. With Jordan Montgomery being a threat to leave in free agency, the Rangers may want to take the same approach as the Yankees with a stacked bullpen.
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