Philadelphia Phillies Closer Job Up for Grabs
The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t officially settled on a closer for the 2017 season, but they have several options already on the roster. Which would be the best choice?
The Philadelphia Phillies’ closer job is up for grabs. As one of the loneliest jobs in Philadelphia sports, there are not many lining up to win the role. The pressure that comes with it has cracked talented pitchers before such as Billy Wagner and, more recently, Jonathan Papelbon.
This offseason has been a promising one for Philadelphia. They added veteran bats in both corner outfield positions. Their starting rotation also has talent with Jeremy Hellickson returning and the addition of Clay Buchholz. In the bullpen, there’s even greater improvement.
The Phillies made remarkable strides this offseason in their attempt to build a better relief core. They accomplished this through trades and free agent signings. One result of their actions is a competition for the closer’s job.
Philadelphia remains one of the few teams in baseball without a closer locked in. This doesn’t mean they are lacking choices. In fact, there are several worthy candidates who could become the Phillies’ closer for 2017.
Jeanmar Gomez
The man who saved the most games for the Phillies last season was Jeanmar Gomez. His early season success was quite astounding to witness. Even through August his numbers looked pretty good as he entered the final month of the regular season with a 2.97 ERA and 34 saves. The wheels came off in September, and Gomez saw his ERA jump up to 4.85 before the season ended.
Gomez’s accomplishments were even better considering how bad his team was. He didn’t have the luxury of pitching on a team that provided him with lots of opportunities. This meant that when Gomez did have save chances, he had to capitalize. Early on, he did.
Prior to 2016, Gomez had only ever accrued a single save in his career. It looked like the Phillies had stumbled onto something great. However, the poor finish may have scared them off. Nevertheless, Gomez should compete for the closer’s job. His success there could benefit the Phillies far more as his trade value would increase exponentially.
Hector Neris
Another member of the 2016 Phillies returning in 2017 with a shot to close is Hector Neris. In fact, Neris is probably ahead of Gomez. His stellar campaign last season with a high strikeout rate should draw interest from Philadelphia management to see what he can do when the pressure is on.
Neris has quietly produced for the Phillies in parts of three seasons now. Last year, though, he saw his appearances increase and his ERA drop down to 2.58. As alluded to earlier, his strikeout rate was also noteworthy. Neris finished the year with 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Although wild at times, Neris manages to keep the ball away from the sweet spot of opponents’ bats.
It’s clear that Neris has a better chance at sticking around with the Phillies for longer than Gomez. This doesn’t necessarily make him the best option to close. Neris might be a pitcher who is best when pitching in the seventh or eighth inning. The Phillies still have to discover where his limits are as he is young enough to be around when they become good again.
Pat Neshek
One of the first unexpected transactions of the Phillies’ offseason was the trade for Pat Neshek. The veteran reliever has only a handful of career saves, but could still see his chances come for Philadelphia in 2017.
Neshek had another fine season with the Houston Astros in 2016 when he finished the year 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA. He had pretty good strikeout numbers and avoided walks well, too. While not overpowering, Neshek is an artist on the mound who in 10 big league seasons has a 2.93 ERA worth envying.
Since the Phillies do have many other options, it’s not likely Neshek is handed the Phillies’ closer job. He may take over at some point in 2017 if nobody can figure it out. In the meantime, Neshek is probably best used as a setup man where he has often looked most comfortable.
Joaquin Benoit
If none of the other choices the Phillies employ interest them, then perhaps it’s Joaquin Benoit they will use. The eldest among the choices, Benoit also has the most experience as a closer. His 51 career saves over 15 big league seasons may not win him the job outright, but could at least help the Phillies feel a little more secure with their decision.
The last time Benoit earned more than two saves in a season was back in 2014 with the San Diego Padres. That year he finished with 11 saves. One year prior, as a member of the Detroit Tigers, Benoit finished with a career-high 24 saves. This time period was clearly the peak of his career, although he has remained pretty reliable since.
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Last year was a very Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde season for Benoit. He was horrific with the Seattle Mariners, but amazing with the Toronto Blue Jays. Down the stretch with Toronto, Benoit had a 0.38 ERA. The Phillies only signed him for the purpose of trading him at the deadline, but that doesn’t mean he won’t find a higher purpose for them to start the season.