In a surprising turn of events, former Philadelphia Phillies closer Héctor Neris has quickly secured a new team after his recent release from the Chicago Cubs. Neris has signed with a familiar playoff adversary of the Phillies, the Houston Astros, a team that Phillies fans know all too well.
As first reported by Ari Alexander of KPRC2 Houston, Neris is rejoining the AL West-leading Astros, the team where he experienced the peak of his career. This move sees Neris returning to the club where he not only had his most productive seasons but also won his only World Series title.
Neris was instrumental in the Astros’ World Series victory against the Phillies in 2022, delivering three scoreless outings during that championship series. Now back with Houston, Neris will bring with him a 2.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, along with 156 strikeouts over 133 2/3 innings during his previous two seasons with the Astros. He’s aiming to replicate those impressive numbers and make another run at the World Series title with his old team.
This season, Neris faced some challenges with the Cubs, struggling to find his footing with the new club. Despite that, he still managed to post an 8-4 record with 17 saves, alongside a 3.89 ERA and 46 strikeouts over 44 innings pitched. However, command issues led to an unusually high number of walks, resulting in a 1.52 WHIP.
Neris spent eight seasons with the Phillies from 2014 to 2021, compiling a 3.42 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP with 520 strikeouts over 407 2/3 innings. He also recorded 84 saves for the team, including a career-high 28 saves in 2019.
The Phillies had the opportunity to bring Neris back to strengthen their bullpen but chose not to. Time will tell if this decision will haunt them, especially if the Phillies face off against the Astros in the World Series once again.
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