Astros World Series Champion Now Free Agent After Terrible Start with Braves

This Houston Astros reliever is back on the market after electing for free agency after a terrible start to the season.

Oct 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Hector Neris (50) throws in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Hector Neris was part of the pitching staff that helped clinch the 2022 World Series title for the Houston Astros.

Now, the 35-year-old right-hander is looking for a new job.

On Wednesday, Neris elected to hit free agency after the Atlanta Braves designated him for assignment earlier this week, per the MLB transactions log.

By electing for free agency, that means Neris likely refused an assignment to the minor leagues.

He joined the Braves as a free agent in March on a minor-league contract and pitched well enough to make the opening day roster. He, like most of the Braves, got off to an awful start.

Atlanta released him after two appearances. he went 0-1 with a 45.00 ERA. He gave up five hits and five runs. He struck out one and walked none. He only pitched one inning.

Neris joined Houston for the first time in 2022 after signing a two-year contract after an eight-year stretch with the Philadelphia Phillies.

With Houston he was exceptional as a set-up man and occasionally closer, as he went 14-8 with a 2.90 ERA in three seasons. He saved six games and struck out more than 10 hitters per nine innings.

During the drive for the 2022 World Series title — which came at the hands of his former team — he helped clinch the Game 6 victory and the series with a scoreless inning.

In eight postseason appearances in 2022, he gave up just two hits and one run in six innings. He had a 1.50 ERA and struck out nine hitters. He walked none.

He spent part of last season with the Astros, but only after signing a one-year free-agent deal with the Chicago Cubs. He went 8-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 46 games. He did move into the closer role and saved 17 games in 22 chances. He also had three holds. He only struck out 46 and walked 26 in 44 innings and batters hit .247 against him.

The Cubs released him, in part, because he was owed a 2025 option based on game appearances and he was closing on that trigger.

He returned to Houston and went 2-1 with a 4.70 in ERA in 16 games with Houston. He had one save in one chance with four holds. He struck out 18 and walked two in 15.1 innings.

Before he joined the Astros the first time, he spent more than a decade with the Phillies, first as a prospect and then as a reliever.

From 2014-21, he went 21-29 with a 3.42 ERA in 405 appearances. He also had 84 saves, including two seasons with at least 25 saves. He threw 407.2 innings, gave up 151 walks and struck out 520, striking out more than 11 hitters every nine innings.