The Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with free agent reliever Hector Neris, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. The veteran righty opened the season with Atlanta but was cut loose after a couple rough appearances to begin the year. Neris, an Octagon client, would earn a prorated $1.5MM in the majors, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC-2.
Neris, 35, signed a minor league deal with the Braves and made the Opening Day roster despite signing in mid-March and only getting into three spring games. The extent to which the abbreviated ramp-up impacted him can’t be known, but Neris was shelled for five runs on five hits (one homer) and a walk in just one inning of work spanning two appearances. That was enough for Atlanta to designate him for assignment and move on.
Prior to this season, Neris was an established late-inning arm, albeit one who struggled in 2024. He finished out the season with a respectable 4.10 ERA in 59 1/3 innings between the Cubs and Astros, but he waffled enough in high-leverage spots with Chicago that he was designated for assignment and released midway through the season. Neris posted a 3.89 ERA but with rocky K-BB numbers during his time with the Cubs; it was the inverse in his return to Houston — a 4.70 ERA but a pristine 28.1% strikeout rate and 3.1% walk rate in 15 1/3 frames.
On the whole, Neris has a solid track record. From 2015-24, he pitched 599 2/3 innings with a 3.33 ERA, 29.5% strikeout rate, 9.1% walk rate, 107 saves and 118 holds. Last year’s 93 mph average on his fastball was a career-low, however, and he sat at just 91.9 mph in his two appearances with Atlanta earlier in the season.
Time will tell whether Neris can rediscover any of his prior form, but there’s no real harm for the Angels in taking a low-cost look and stashing Neris in Triple-A Salt Lake for the time being. The Halos recently placed flamethrower Ben Joyce on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder, and they’re still without Robert Stephenson, who is on the mend from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Angels relievers currently have a 6.11 ERA, ranking 29th in the majors. Kenley Jansen, Reid Detmers and Ryan Zeferjahn have all pitched well, but the rest of the team’s relief corps has struggled immensely.