Ex-World Series Champion Signs Minor League Deal With Atlanta Braves, Joins Club in Florida

After a subpar 2024, reliever Hector Neris looks to regain the form that made him an asset for Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros.

Houston Astros relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) reacts after getting a strikeout during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Sept. 20, 2024. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves have a new face – and right arm – at spring training on Monday with the addition of reliever Hector Neris on a minor league deal.

That’s according to Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who reported the news Monday morning.

Braves signed Hector Neris. He’s an NRI who’ll be in camp today. That means there are 49 players in big-league camp.

— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) March 3, 2025

The number of players in camp in North Port, Fla., now is 49.

Neris, 35, made his debut with the Phillies in 2014 and spent eight seasons with Philadelphia before moving on to the Houston Astros, where he was part of the 2022 World Series-winning team.

As a free agent, he signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2024 but disappointed and was released in August, then re-signed with the Astros for the stretch drive.

Neris was brilliant with the Astros in the 2022 postseason as well as in 2023.

In eight appearances in the 2022 postseason, he was 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. In 2023, he finished with a 6-3 record,1.71 ERA and two saves in 71 relief appearances in the regular season.

The Cubs signed Neris to a one-year, $9 million deal last winter, but he had trouble with his control. He walked 26 batters and struck out 44 for a 1.77 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a career worst. With the Cubs, he posted an 0-4 record with a 3.89 ERA and 17 saves in 33 games, pressed into closer duty due to an injury to Adbert Alzolay.

In the final month of the season in Houston, he made 16 appearances, finishing 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA and issued just one walk in 15.1 innings but gave up four home runs.

He has career regular-season numbers of 43-41 and a 3.33 ERA in 608 career games, with 740 strikeouts in 600.2 innings.

The Braves will be without reliever Joe Jimenez as he recovers from offseason knee surgery, likely for the entire season. A veteran like Neris could be very helpful in the bullpen if he can regain his 2023 form.

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