Changes in the Cubs squad: Hector Neris released, Jack Neely called up

Hector Neris was a Cub many loved to hate this year.

No longer:

Neris played 46 games for the Cubs and had 17 saves, but also five blown saves, some of them in spectacular fashion, most recently on Saturday against the Blue Jays, but the Cubs came back and won the game anyway.

The key thing for the Cubs is this: If Neris appears in 14 more games or finishes 12 more games (in other words, is his team's last pitcher in a game), his contract option for 2025 will vest. Otherwise, it will default to a team option. The Cubs would have to pay for that $9 million option if it vests.

Will it? Will anyone take Neris at this point? An interesting question that would impact the Cubs' salary and luxury tax numbers for next year.

Neris finished his Cubs season with an ERA of 3.89 and a WHIP of 1.523.

Jack Neely was acquired from the Yankees in the Mark Leiter Jr. trade last month. Comparisons have been drawn between Neely and Hunter Bigge, who went to the Rays in the Isaac Paredes trade.

Since the deal, Neely has pitched in six games for Triple-A Iowa, posting a 1.35 ERA and .750 WHIP with three saves and 13 strikeouts in 6⅔ innings. (13 K among 25 batters struck out.)

Overall in the minor leagues this year, including his time in the Yankees' chain at Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as well as his games for Iowa, Neely has a 2.42 ERA, 1.117 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 48x innings. It's possible he could get a chance as a closer.

The Cubs did the right thing here; signing Neris might have worked if he was a setup man, but he was not suited to the closer role. I wish him the best, but I'm glad he's no longer a Cub.