Phillies Decline Option on Reliever Pat Neshek
By Chris Russo
On a day where the Phillies have already made some big pitching changes to their 2020 staff, hiring Bryan Price as pitching coach, they've now chosen to further reconstruct the roster he's going to work with.
The Phillies have declined their team option on veteran relief pitcher Pat Neshek.
Neshek, often effective, faced too many injuries to prove his worth in 2019, and will move elsewhere.
Phillies will decline Pat Neshek’s $7M option. Three times the sidearmer has had an ERA under 2 but his 2019 season, like many Phillies relievers, was injury marred.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 31, 2019
The 39 year-old Neshek was in his second stint with the Phillies, after he re-signed before the 2018 season.
The Phils finished the season with an underwhelming 81-81 record, despite signing Bryce Harper to a 13-year deal before the season began. Neshek was just one of a number of Phillies relievers who struggled throughout the year. 11 other relievers made 10 or more appearances and finished with an ERA of 4.00 or above, leading the team to dismiss pitching coach Rick Kranitz.
#Phillies have hired Bryan Price as pitching coach for the 2020 major league coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/xXmJCEcs2t
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 31, 2019
Neshek missed much of the season with a hamstring injury, limiting him to just 20 games, his lowest total since 2010. In those games, he posted an ERA of 5.00, making it the first time his ERA had gone above 4.00 since 2011.
Neshek has pitched to a 2.82 ERA over 13 years in the major leagues with the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, and the Phillies. He has made two All-Star Game appearances.