Former Philadelphia Phillies Star Reliever Signs With Archrival Atlanta Braves

An old friend of the Philadelphia Phillies has landed back in the NL East with a heated rival.

Sep 28, 2021; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

A former Philadelphia Phillies standout reliever is back in the National League East.

As first reported by Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, right-hander Hector Neris has inked a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, a deal which sees him invited to big league camp as a non-roster invitee and gives him a shot to prove he should make them team. According to Toscano, Neris is at camp as soon as Monday.

All the way back in 2010, Neris signed with the Phillies as an amateur from the Dominican Republic and made just one appearance during the 2014 season, but would become a fixture in the team's bullpen for the next seven years beginning in 2015.

In 2016, Neris posted a scorching 2.58 ERA over 79 appearances, racking up 102 strikeouts in just 80.1 innings. Through his entire career in Philadelphia, Neris made 405 appearances out of the bullpen with a 3.42 ERA, racking up 84 saves and 520 strikeouts.

Though Neris was with the team for nearly a decade, they never made the playoffs during his time with the Phillies. In what was a cruel twist of fate, however, Neris wound up leaving Philadelphia during the offseason prior to the 2022 season for a lucrative two-year deal with the Houston Astros and helped them defeat the Phillies in the World Series that very first season.

In three appearances during the series, Neris gave up just one hit with no runs and four strikeouts in two innings pitched.

Neris will be remembered as a solid arm for a long time in Philadelphia, but it's safe to say if he makes the Braves roster, then the Phillies will be looking to get their revenge on the now-35-year-old for defeating them in the World Series.