Neris worked on a slider over the offseason and has been trying it out in spring games, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Neris threw a slider infrequently earlier in his career, last using it in in 2017. His profile is led by a splitter that can be a dominant pitch at times, but he may need something more after a disappointing season that saw him struggle to a 4.57 ERA and a career-worst 12.6 percent walk rate. There's no guarantee the reborn slider will have the desired effect, but there's at least a chance it helps him get back to being the guy who posted a 3.23 ERA from 2016 to 2019. He currently looks to be locked into a tight race with Archie Bradley for the Phillies' closer job, with the team yet to offer much clarity about the situation.