Neris declined his $8.5 million player option for 2024 on Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Neris will receive a $1 million buyout and enter the free agent market after enjoying the best statistical season of his career (1.71 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) with the Astros. Neris will turn 35 in June, so a long-term deal isn't likely, but he should have little trouble finding a place to pitch in 2024.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Earns 20th hold
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Neris two walks over a scoreless inning in Friday's 6-4 win over the Athletics. He didn't strike out or walk a batter.
Neris entered in the eighth inning with Houston leading 6-4. The veteran reliever walked the first two batters he faced before inducing a pop out and a double play to escape the frame. Neris has earned a hold in three of his last four appearances, allowing just one hit (a home run) and striking out five across four innings during that stretch.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Picks up second save
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Neris struck out two in a perfect inning and earned a save in Monday's 6-4 win over the Cubs.
Neris needed just 10 pitches to quickly close out the 6-4 win. It was his first save since April 1 and he extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings. Neris is now sporting a 1.47 ERA with a 22:7 K:BB through 18 appearances. Ryan Pressly did not pitch Monday after picking up a save Sunday.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Earns save in Pressly's absence
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Neris picked up the save Saturday against the White Sox, allowing one run on two hits and a walk in 1.1 innings while striking out two.
Ryan Pressly's illness led to a save chance for Rafael Montero on Friday and one for Neris on Saturday. Neris struck out Elvis Andrus to clean up Ryne Stanek's mess in the eighth inning, though he got into trouble himself in the next frame. Yasmani Grandal walked to start the inning and came around to score on a pair of two-out singles, but Neris struck out Yoan Moncada to seal the deal. Neris may not add too many more saves to his ledger the rest of the way, however, as both Pressly and Montero are ahead of him on the closer depth chart.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Not concerned with velocity dip
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Neris told reporters after Tuesday's Grapefruit League appearance that he wasn't concerned about his dip in velocity, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Neris normally works in the mid-90s with his fastball -- typically sitting 94-96 mph -- but Tuesday the right-hander was only in the low-90s with his heater. It was his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic, and it's possible the 33-year-old was working out some rust in the contest. Neris is expected to serve as a bridge option in the middle-innings to closer Ryan Pressly for the 2023 campaign.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Nabs third save
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Neris pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to earn the save in a 4-2 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday.
Neris was called in to protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning, and he shut the door with two strikeouts on 15 pitches. Neris has been excellent lately and now has three consecutive scoreless appearances with six strikeouts over the past week to lower his WHIP to 0.96 on the season. Neris has joined Rafael Montero in the mix for saves primary closer Ryan Pressly is sidelined with neck spasms.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Picks up second save
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Neris pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout to earn the save in a 7-5 victory over the Athletics.
With Ryan Pressly unavailable to pitch due to a stiff neck, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, Dusty Baker turned to Neris to close the door in the ninth. Neris only needed seven pitches to retire the side and pick up his second save of the season. Neris has put together five scoreless appearances in a row to lower his ERA to 3.33 and his WHIP to an excellent 0.89. It is worth monitoring the health of Pressly to see if Neris could combine with Rafael Montero to pick up any further saves while the usual closer is sidelined.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Bounces back Friday
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Neris allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning to earn his first save of the season in Friday's 5-2 win over the Mariners.
Neris blew a save and picked up a win in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Yankees, but he received another chance to close out a contest just a day later. He delivered this time, working around a one-out double from Dylan Moore. Neris has mainly been a setup man for the Astros, but he's seen save chances lately with Ryan Pressly (personal) on the paternity list. Neris owns a 3.60 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 41:11 K:BB, 18 holds and two blown saves through 40 innings this year.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Blows save chance
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Neris (3-3) allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk to blow the save but earn a win in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
He was the first reliever to get a chance in the closer role with Ryan Pressly (personal) briefly away from the team. Neris was able to get two outs, but he then allowed a game-tying single to Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The right-hander has been a strong high-leverage option for the Astros this season, but he may lose out on save chances to Rafael Montero -- who converted his opportunity in the second game of the doubleheader -- while Pressly is away from the team.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Tallies 16th hold
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Neris walked two but turned in a scoreless eighth inning to record a hold Saturday against the Yankees.
Neris immediately followed Cristian Javier into the game and did his part to maintain the team's no-hitter. Neris was a bit wild in the process, walking two of the first three batters he faced. However, he was ultimately able to get out of the jam to record his 16th hold of the season while also maintaining a 3.73 ERA and 33:8 K:BB across 31.1 frames.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Clean inning in return
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Neris (suspension) struck out one in a perfect inning during Saturday's 7-0 loss to the White Sox.
Neris completed a three-game suspension Friday and rejoined the Astros' bullpen for Saturday's game. He's allowed six runs across five innings in June, picking up two holds, a loss and a blown save. The 33-year-old has a 3.62 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 30:6 K:BB while adding 12 holds in 30 appearances as a veteran high-leverage arm.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Available Saturday
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Neris is available out of the Astros' bullpen for Saturday's game against the White Sox after serving his three-game suspension, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Neris was unavailable for the last three games after MLB determined that he intentionally threw at the Mariners' Eugenio Suarez on June 7. Over five appearances since the start of June, the right-hander picked up two holds while giving up six runs in four innings.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Serving three-game ban
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Neris will begin serving a three-game suspension starting with Tuesday's contest against the Rangers after the ban was reduced from four games following an appeal, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The reliever's suspension stems from MLB having deemed that he intentionally threw at the Mariners' Eugenio Suarez during the Astros' 7-4 loss to Seattle on June 7. Neris will miss the final two games of the Astros' series in Texas along with Friday's series opener against the White Sox before he's eligible to return Saturday.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Appealing four-game ban
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Neris was handed a four-game suspension after MLB determined he intentionally threw at Eugenio Suarez on Monday while warnings were in place, but the right-hander is appealing the ban and will be available for Tuesday's game against the Mariners, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Neris had already hit one batter and given up a homer during the inning prior to the incident with Suarez, and the veteran reliver is now facing a multi-game suspension. The 32-year-old will remain available for Houston until the appeal is heard.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Picks up 10th hold
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Neris struck out two and did not allow a baserunner in a scoreless eighth inning to earn a hold Tuesday against the Athletics.
Neris entered the game with a two-run lead and recorded his 10th hold of the season. He's gotten back on track by turning in four consecutive scoreless appearances after allowing four earned runs in a three-inning stretch during the middle of May. Neris has been excellent overall in a high-leverage role for Houston this season by maintaining a 2.01 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and a 24:3 K:BB across 22.1 frames.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Hit with loss Monday
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Neris (1-2) took the loss Monday as the Astros fell 6-3 to the Red Sox, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one in one inning of relief.
The right-hander entered a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning and got rocked for three extra-base hits, capped by a two-run homer off the bat of Xander Bogaerts. Neris saw his 10-appearance scoreless streak snapped, but on the season he still sports a strong 2.12 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 16:2 K:BB through 17 innings with a win and five holds.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Works eighth inning
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Neris did not allow a baserunner and pitched a scoreless eighth inning Wednesday against the Rangers.
Neris entered the game with a one-run lead and retired Corey Seager, Nathaniel Lowe and Mitch Garver on only 12 pitches. Ryne Stanek came on to earn the save in the ninth inning. The closer situation remains ambiguous in Houston, as this was the team's first converted save since Ryan Pressly (knee) was placed on the injured list. However, if Wednesday's usage carries forward, it appears that manager Dusty Baker may prefer to use Neris in high-leverage spots and not necessarily save situations, which would limit his fantasy upside even with Pressly out.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Takes loss against Jays
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Neris (1-1) allowed one earned run on two hits across one inning to take the loss Friday against Toronto.
Neris entered the game with the score tied in the ninth inning, a situation traditionally handled by the closer. He allowed a leadoff single to Vladimir Guerrero and then a two-out double to Matt Chapman to account for the game-winning run. Though he was tagged with the loss, it was the first run Neris has allowed this season across 6.1 frames. While Ryan Pressly (knee) remains sidelined, Neris appears to be in the best position to pick up save chances.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Granted first win
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Neris (1-0) picked up the win in Tuesday's 2-1 victory against the Diamondbacks, striking out two in a perfect eighth inning.
Neris made quick work of the heart of Arizona's order in the eighth and fell in line for the victory when Houston took the lead in the top of the ninth. The first-year Astro has yet to allow a run through three appearances and is solidifying his hold on the setup role.
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Astros' Hector Neris: Heads to Houston
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Neris signed a two-year, $17 million deal with the Astros on Saturday, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Neris was perhaps miscast as a closer during his eight years in Philadelphia, and he probably won't add significantly to his 84 career saves with his new team unless Ryan Pressly gets injured. That said, he has a lot to offer as a setup man and doesn't appear to be slowing down as he heads into his age-33 season. He finished 2021 with a 3.63 ERA in 74.1 innings, with a strong 31.6 percent strikeout rate and above-average 47.1 percent groundball rate offsetting a 10.3 percent walk rate.
