Angels Give Ex-Closer for Division Rival His First MLB Roster Spot Since Being DFA'd

Hector Neris has come a long way in a short amount of time.

Neris, 35, was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves on March 31 and signed a minor league contract with the Angels on April 16. A former closer for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and Chicago Cubs, Neris made four appearances with Triple-A Salt Lake, allowing three hits and two runs.

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Tuesday, Neris was given his first major league roster spot since March when the Angels selected his contract from Triple-A Salt Lake.

#Angels transactions:

•Selected the contracts of RHP Connor Brogdon (#75) & RHP Héctor Neris (#54)
•Reinstated INF Yoán Moncada from IL
•Optioned INF Niko Kavadas to Triple-A Salt Lake
•Designated RHP Touki Toussaint for assignment
•Following Sunday’s game, RHP Michael…
— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) May 6, 2025

Neris and Connor Brogdon — another former Phillies right-hander — will be in the bullpen for Tuesday's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.

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Neris spent parts of three seasons (2022-24) pitching for the Houston Astros, the Angels' division rivals in the American League West. He collected the first and only World Series ring of his career with Houston in 2022.

Neris also contributed to a combined no-hitter against the New York Yankees with Houston on June 25, 2022. The best season of his career came in 2023, when he had a 1.71 ERA across 71 appearances for the Astros.

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In parts of 12 major league seasons (2014-25), Neris has compiled 107 career saves with a 3.40 ERA. He was the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2017-19, accumulating 65 saves during that stretch.

The Angels are just the seventh team in the expansion era (since 1961) with a bullpen ERA of at least 7.00 through the first 33 games of a season.

No team has had a bullpen ERA this high through 33 games in 15 years (D-backs in 2010). pic.twitter.com/df0im9bbpo
— Brent Maguire (@bmags94) May 6, 2025

Angels relievers began the day with an atrocious 7.02 ERA in 33 games, by far the worst in Major League Baseball. Neris will look to stem the bleeding, but he won't be alone in that task.

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Brogdon, 30, made only one appearance out of the Dodgers' bullpen after he was acquired from the Phillies on April 6, 2024. After that game, he was placed on the injured list with plantar fasciitis, an injury that effectively ended his season.

Brogdon began a rehab assignment and made 13 appearances late last season with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate, but did not return to the big leagues. He signed with the Angels as a free agent in Dec. 2024.

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On the way out are Michael Darrell-Hicks, who was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake, and Touki Toussaint, who cannot be optioned to the minors and was designated for assignment.

Darrell-Hicks had allowed 10 hits and eight runs in 7.2 innings (9.39 ERA) at the major league level. Toussaint allowed two runs in two innings Sunday against the Detroit Tigers in his only appearance with the Angels.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.