Former Phillies Star Reliever Now Free Agent After Awful Start with Braves

This former Philadelphia Phillies was developed and nurtured by the franchise before he was moved to a future World Series champion.

Sep 28, 2021; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Héctor Neris was in the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization for more than a decade as a prospect and then a Major League reliever.

On Wednesday, he was out of work again. Neris elected to hit free agency after the Atlanta Braves designated him for assignment earlier this week. By electing for free agency, that means that the 35-year-old reliever refused an assignment to the minor leagues.

The Braves lost their first six games and Neris was a part of the problem, even as he only pitched one inning. In 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.

Neris signed with the Phillies in 2010 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He worked his way through the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2014. He solidified himself in the Phillies’ bullpen in 2015 and was a key part of their staff for nearly a decade.

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.

Neris hit free agency after 2021 and signed a two-year deal with the Houston Astros, which meant the Phillies met him again in the 2022 World Series. The Astros won the series and Neris claimed his first championship ring. He pitched a scoreless inning in the clinching Game 6 win.

For 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.

He signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs for the 2024 season and emerged as their closer in the wake of the injury to Adbert Alzolay. 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 four days later. Houston needed bullpen help in the Astros’ a stretch drive to the playoffs.

He 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.

Recommended Articles

feed