Neris (illness) returned to the Phillies' spring-training complex Saturday after missing the last few days of workouts while recovering from the flu, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.
Neris' brief absence to begin camp shouldn't put him too far behind his fellow relievers this spring, when he'll be looking to secure his spot as the Phillies' closer. The 30-year-old turned in the best season of his career in 2019, posting a 2.93 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 89:24 K:BB across 67.2 innings while converting 28 of 34 save chances. Given that new manager Joe Girardi is believed to favor more defined roles for his relievers than predecessor Gabe Kapler, Neris -- who was often used in high-leverage spots outside of the ninth inning under Kapler's watch -- could be in line for more traditional closing duties in 2020. If that's the case, Neris would seemingly have a great chance at delivering his first 30-plus-save campaign, assuming health prevails.