Astros Veteran Relief Pitcher Designated for Assignment Opts for Free Agency

A former Houston Astros veteran pitcher has decided to enter free agency instead of accepting an assignment to the minor leagues.

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On Aug. 12, the Houston Astros made several moves with their pitching staff, reinstating relief pitcher Shawn Dubin from the injured list and recalling a second pitcher, Colton Gordon, from the minor leagues. Gordon had a whirlwind few days, as he was sent back to Triple-A the following day.

To accommodate those moves, someone had to be removed from the roster to make room for the fresh arms. As a result, the Astros decided to designated veteran relief pitcher Hector Neris for assignment. This ends what was the third stint of his career with the franchise.

That meant he was subject to waivers and any team in the MLB could claim him, but they would have to add him to their Major League roster immediately. No claim was made, and instead of accepting the assignment to the minor leagues, Neris has decided to become a free agent and seek a contract elsewhere after he was outrighted off the team’s 40-man roster.

Hector Neris Elects Free Agency https://t.co/NrFY1tkE3A pic.twitter.com/dnVGoXhSfa

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) August 16, 2025

Houston was the third franchise that he pitched for this season, also making appearances for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels. With the Astros, he had a 5.40 ERA in 11.2 innings with 15 strikeouts. Overall, his production has not been great this season with a 6.75 ERA across 26.2 innings pitched.

Hector Neris Hitting Free Agency

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There has been some positives to his performance, such as a 28.2% strikeout rate, which is well above the league average of 22.0%. A 3.85 SIERA would hint that some bad luck is involved in his inflated ERA. His batting average on balls in play of .348 and strand rate of 55.9% are certainly two indicators of that.

Alas, he has struggled with home runs, giving up six of them for a 2.0 HR/9 ratio. His walk rate is also an inflated 12.9%, which would be the highest of his career in a single season should it hold.

However, given his lengthy track record and experience as a high-leverage arm, Neris should have no problems latching on with a team for the stretch run of the season. Any contender that is in need of insurance at the backend of the bullpen is going to show interest in him as organizational depth at the very least.

For his career, the veteran righty has 107 saves and a 3.47 ERA across 627.1 innings. He would also bring championship experience to whichever team signs him, helping the Astros win the World Series in 2022 with some dominant performances out of the bullpen. Neris appeared in eight games, throwing six innings with nine strikeouts and only one earned run allowed.