Phillies’ Hector Neris gets scolded by umpire over his delivery against Nationals
Miller stopped the game and told Neris that he must separate his hands before eventually bringing them together as he comes set in his delivery.
After unleashing his first pitch of the ninth inning Friday night, Phillies reliever Hector Neris got a refresher on the rulebook from home-plate umpire Bill Miller.
Miller stopped the game and told Neris that he must separate his hands before eventually bringing them together as he comes set in his delivery. Phillies manager Gabe Kapler asked for clarification and still had questions after the game.
“Our discomfort was that it hasn’t been called all year," Kapler said. “If it’s going to be called, it’s got to be called. We can’t get to the beginning of May and not have that called. That’s something that we want to investigate a little bit.”
Neris made an adjustment and continued through the inning, securing a 4-2 victory over the Nationals despite allowing a two-out single to pinch hitter Yan Gomes. He struck out Michael A. Taylor to end the game.
Kapler sought further explanation after the game and likely will have a conversation with the league, too. Neris said he won’t make any permanent alterations to his delivery until the Phillies receive a verdict.
“The police got me,” Neris said, laughing. “It surprised me because it’s me the whole year, my whole career. It surprised me today. Right now, I’m just waiting to know what the rules say.”
Said Kapler: “I asked Bill for a rules check, and he said he knew the rules. That’s where we left it.”
Robertson on hold
David Robertson hoped to begin a throwing program last weekend. A week later, the veteran reliever has not yet picked up a ball.
Robertson, who hasn’t pitched since April 14, continues to deal with soreness in his right elbow/forearm stemming from a flexor strain. He hasn’t undergone additional testing recently but was scheduled to be reexamined by team physician Dr. Steven Cohen before accompanying the Phillies on the road trip to St. Louis next week.
The protracted absences of Robertson and reliever Tommy Hunter (right forearm strain) reaffirm lefty Adam Morgan as the Phillies’ unsung hero. Morgan didn’t allow a run in the seventh inning Friday night, setting a franchise record with his 16th consecutive scoreless appearance to open a season. J.C. Romero (2008), Rheal Cormier (2006) and Ed Roebuck (1964) each went 15 appearances without allowing a run.
“I don’t think at the beginning of the year anybody thought he’d be a candidate to take down two-plus innings,” Kapler said. “What he’s done is emerge as a weapon against anybody in the most important inning of the game.”
Extra bases
It won’t be a surprise if the Phillies reinstate center fielder Odubel Herrera from the injured list before Saturday night’s game. Otherwise, he’s all but certain to return by Sunday. Herrera has been sidelined since April 18 with a strained right hamstring. … Rhys Hoskins rang the bell before Game 3 of the Sixers-Raptors series. It marked the third time that he has participated in the pregame ritual, and the Sixers are 3-0 in those games. … Jake Arrieta (4-2, 3.46 ERA) will start Saturday night against Nationals lefty Patrick Corbin (2-1, 3.58), whom the Phillies pursued in free agency last winter.