Manager Pete Mackanin said he would have bypassed Neris and used Pat Neshek as his closer Wednesday had there been a save opportunity, Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia reports.
Mackanin said he was going to talk with Neris about "his lack of success lately" and the fact that he has been hanging too many splitters. Neris is worth hanging onto in most leagues as Neshek is likely to be dealt by the trade deadline. He could also get his closing role back, assuming this is more than just a one- or two-game demotion, before that if he rediscovers his dominance with his splitter. Batters are hitting .233 with a .367 slugging percentage against the pitch this season compared to a .152 average and .255 slugging percentage last season according to Statcast. The splitter is still a very effective pitch for Neris, but clearly not quite as devastating as last season.