The Houston Astros are bringing back a fan favorite reliever to the team….again.
The team signed Hector Neris to a Major-League deal on Saturday, per KPRC 2’s Ari Alexander. Neris was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels earlier this week, then was later released by the club.
This will be Neris’ third stint with the Astros. He pitched for the team for two seasons from 2022-2023, and then signed with the team late in 2024 after a short stint with the Chicago Cubs. Neris was key to the Astros’ 2022 World Series winning team, pitching to a 2-0 record with a 1.50 ERA in 8 playoff appearances that season. In his career with the Astros, Neris is 14-8 with a 2.90 ERA. Now, he’ll join the Astros once again as they gear up to make another World Series push.
Its been a struggle for Neris so far this season, pitching to a 3-1 record with a 7.80 ERA in 23 appearances between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels. Perhaps a change of scenery — or familiarity — will unlock any juice that the 36-year-old veteran may have left in the tank.