Hector Neris got into it with the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, having his teammates back for the Houston Astros.
However, unfortunately, the reliever hasn't thrown the baseball at the level he wants this season.
A few years ago, even as recently as 2024, there was a strong argument to be made that Neris was one of the better relievers in baseball.
Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case this time around, currently posting a 3.00 ERA with the Astros, but 4.30 on the year. Neris has been much better during his time with the Astros than he was with the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves during the early stages of the season, but some don't expect that to last.
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That includes FanSided’s Eric Cole, who recently predicted that he'd be one of three players who would be moved by the end of the season.
“As nostalgic as it is to bring Hector Neris back once a year and see him show out versus struggling everywhere else, there are some real red flags with him. His fastball velo has ticked downward every year since 2022 and most of Neris' pitching metrics (other than his chase rate which remains good) rank in the bottom half or worse in all of baseball. We're betting that the loud contact he has been giving up combined with the extra baserunners that Neris usually allows catches up with him. In an Astros bullpen that is very strong, that should leave him as the odd man out,” he wrote.
At this point, Neris would have to be designated for assignment, as the trade deadline has passed. It's safe to say that if he were designated for assignment, there would be a team interested around the league.
Even if it's because of what he's done throughout his career, there's value in having a veteran like him in the clubhouse.