Cubs put an end to fans misery by getting rid of Craig Counsell's favorite pitcher

The Chicago Cubs' season has not gone to plan since Craig Counsell's celebrated arrival last winter. Famed for his ability to work matchups as the Milwaukee Brewers' manager, Counsell's bullpen management has left fans mostly confused, and oftentimes upset in Chicago.

Perhaps Counsell's biggest vice was his unyielding faith in veteran reliever Hector Neris, who inked a one-year, $9 million contract with the club in free agency. Neris was elevated to the closing role midseason due to Adbert Alzolay's injury, which put the 35-year-old squarely under the microscope. He did not perform.

Neris ostensibly has respectable stats on the surface — 3.89 ERA and 46 K's through 44.0 innings — but he allowed far too many base runners for a late-relief weapon (1.52 WHIP). Neris has five blown saves this season, while his strikeout and walk numbers are trending in the wrong direction. Perhaps this is a case of Father Time making his presence felt at the tail end of Neris' long and accomplished career.

The Cubs officially cut ties with Neris on Tuesday, Aug. 20, when he was DFA'd. He has already cleared waivers, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers, which clears the way for Neris to join a contender for the stretch run.

Cubs finally part ways with Hector Neris before Craig Counsell made a critical mistake

This move was inevitable for Chicago. Neris was 14 appearances away from vesting his 2025 contract option, which would have transformed it from a $9 million club option to a $9 million player option. While Counsell was a fan of Neris and a staunch defender in times of trouble, there was simply no way to justify keeping that salary on the books for another season. Before his departure, Neris was on track to finish awfully close to the 60-game requirement.

Neris was plainly miscast as the Cubs' starter, so it's hard to place on the blame on his shoulders. The Cubs were dealing with a severe talent shortage in the bullpen, which also absolves Counsell on some level. He can only play the cards he is dealt and Jed Hoyer has neglected the bullpen a bit this season.

The 2024 campaign has been a remarkable falloff in several key areas for Neris. He went from the 98th percentile for hard-hit rate a season ago to the 14th percentile this go-around. He's hanging pitchers over the plate far too often and his metrics are in the gutter across the board. The Cubs were banking on his experience and pedigree, but it's clear Neris was not going to live up to his name this season. Not in Chicago, at least.

It shouldn't take long for Neris to catch on elsewhere. It will be fascinating to see if his performance improves with a change of scenery, or if we need to adjust expectations moving forward.