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3: Hector Neris failed to be the stabilizing veteran in the bullpen
The warning signs were there, but the baseball card numbers (1.71 ERA, 10.3 K/9 in 2023) were enough to convince Hoyer to bring Hector Neris in on a one-year, $9 million deal.
Forced into the closer's role early in the year after Adbert Alzolay was ineffective and then shelved due to injury, Neris did the job but never did it without raising fans' blood pressure. Control issues had him constantly working in and out of trouble and he was anything but reliable.
Chicago knew it needed some young arms to step up and throw meaningful innings heading into the year. But the hope was Neris could be a calming, reliable arm in the mix out in the bullpen - and he didn't deliver. The Cubs avoided the looming specter of that vesting option by releasing him before he could hit the appearance total, which is the only 'win' that came out of this relationship.