The New York Yankees appeared to be the favorite to land Hector Neris last week, but it appears that there are many teams competing to land him. One of them is the New York Mets.
The Mets and Yankees have “spoken with representatives” of Neris, according to SNY’s Andy Martino, citing league sources. A source told Martino that the Yankees, who want to win a championship in 2024, are still “probably eligible,” but Neris isn’t the only New York team interested.
MLB reporter Hector Gomez said last week that Neris was seeking a three-year contract worth $50 million, but Martino reported Monday that Neris’ asking price was low. He wants $7 to $11 million a year for a season or two. Nerys opted out of his $8.5 million player option at the start of the season, so it looks like he’ll be out for more than a year.
The request is in line with the $10 million the Mets have secured for the remainder of the season and is consistent with President of Baseball Operations David Stearns’ strategy of deepening short-term contracts this season, Martino said.Retired All-Star first baseman, podcast host and former Met Carlos Baerga wrote in January. On social media on the 20th (local time), Neris said he was “ready to sign” with the Yankees. It’s clear he hasn’t made up his mind yet. Neris had a 1.71 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 10.1 K/9 in 68 1/3 innings last season, his second mark since winning the 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros. The 10-year veteran spent his first eight years.
This comes from his career with the Philadelphia Phillies. His career ERA is 3.24 and his strikeout rate is 30.1%.At 34, Neris is still a top reliever with a 90 mph fastball. His pitching is tough. His exit velocity (86.5 mph) and expected batting average (.196) were in the top 5% of the league.Neris could provide a lead for Edwin Diaz on the back end of the Mets’ underpowered inning. Currently, the main contenders are Brooks Reilly, Drew Smith and Jorge Lopez.
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