There’s no surprise in the rumors surrounding Pat Neshek, as the All-Star reliever on the worst team in Baseball (the Philadelphia Phillies if you haven’t heard). The most recent of these rumors is pointing towards the Boston Red Sox, in an effort to bolster an already impressive group of players, trying to work out a trade with Philly.
Great season
Neshek, 36, is having a terrific season, making the All-star game for the second time in his career. Playing in his first (and only?) season in Philadelphia, Neshek has a terrific 1.27 ERA, posting another sub 1.000 WHIP and striking out over 7 batters per walk. He’s holding right handed batters to a .234 batting average against him, and left-handed batters to under .190 when they’re at the plate.
Time to go
The Phillies, with only 29 wins, aren’t going to hold on to Neshek, who is a free agent at the end of the season, with about $3.3 million left on his deal, well worth it for any team trying to improve their chances of winning a pennant and a World Series. The Phillies, one of the most disappointing teams this season, have more than one offer for Neshek, but one of them is from the Washington Nationals. The Nats play in the same division, so it’s unlikely Neshek will end up playing in Washington unless there’s really an offer that is impossible to refuse.
Red Sox thinking about a ring
The Red Sox haven’t won the World Series since 2013, but they’re leading the AL East (didn’t help them last season) with a 3.5 game edge over the Yankees and Rays. They have a terrific rotation, but the last few World Series have been decided not just due to excellent bullpen performances, but that has played a big part in them. Neshek, who’s probably looking to make an impression to get a multiple year deal (perhaps the final one of his career), could be an terrific addition to a team that’s going places, unlike the Phillies, still unable to recover from their effort to win multiple rings at the end of the previous decade. They ended up winning one (2008) and making another WS a year later, but from there the decline was quick and brutal, resulting in consecutive seasons that calling them subpar would be a compliment.
More Neshek stats
Pat Neshek has been pitching in the majors since 2006. He has played for the Twins, Padres, A’s, Cardinals, Astros (last season, and quite successfully) and this season for the Phillies, traded to them last November.