How Houston Astros could bolster bullpen by bringing back a familiar face
GET THE BAND BACK TOGETHER
20 August
Should the Astros bring back Hector Neris? Composite Getty Image.
One of the biggest concerns of the Astros offseason was the amount of relief pitching that walked out the door in free agency. Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton, and Hector Neris all left after the season, and Kendall Graveman required shoulder surgery, further depleting Houston's bullpen.
Of all the outgoing pitchers, Neris was the one that hurt the most. He was fantastic in 2023 posting the lowest ERA (1.71) of his career. He also provided veteran leadership and came through in high-leverage situations in the playoffs.
Neris signed a 1-year, $9 million contract with the Cubs, with a vesting player option for 2025. The option would have kicked in had Neris reached 60 appearances or 45 games finished this year. According to reports, Neris has been DFA'd by the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs news: Reliever Hector Neris was DFA'd and has already cleared waivers, sources tell ESPN. He's being released. Jack Neely, acquired from the Yankees in the Mark Leiter Jr trade, is being called up to take his place.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 20, 2024
Clearly, the Cubs didn't want Neris to reach those milestones that would lock them into his salary next season, so they opted to put Neris on waivers. He reportedly cleared waivers and now can be signed to another team.
Neris is 8-4 this season with a 3.89 ERA, and 17 saves. Now that he's available, will the Astros consider bringing him back?
Houston's setup man Ryan Pressly is currently on the IL, so the club is shorthanded at the moment.
Perhaps Neris could be the final piece to push them over the top this season.
Dylan Cease pitched brilliantly into the ninth inning and Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Donovan Solano hit consecutive homers in the eighth for the San Diego Padres, who beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 4-0 on Wednesday.
Machado homered twice for the Padres, who won two of three against the Astros and stayed two games ahead of Arizona for the first NL wild card. The Astros came in with a five-game division lead over Seattle.
Cease (14-11), who threw his first career no-hitter on July 25 at Washington, took a one-hitter into the ninth before Mauricio Dubón beat out an infield single to shortstop. Cease struck out Jake Meyers but then shortstop Xander Bogaerts booted Jose Altuve's grounder for an error that allowed Dubón to take third, and that was it for the right-hander after 103 pitches.
Cease retired the first 15 Astros batters before allowing a single to right field by Jason Heyward to open the sixth. Cease then retired the side.
Cease struck out five and walked none. Tanner Scott got two outs for his 21st save.
Machado, who has 29 homers, lined a shot to left-center off Framber Valdez opening the sixth.
Tatis, who struck out in his first three at-bats, hit reliever Kaleb Ort's first pitch into the first row in left-center leading off the eighth. It was his 19th. Machado followed with a shot deep into the seats in left and Solano hit a liner to left, his seventh. That was it for Ort, who threw just nine pitches.
Valdez (14-7) went seven innings, allowing one run and five hits while striking out six and walking two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: 1B/DH Luis Arraez got the day off to rest his sore left knee, which he jammed into home plate while being thrown out on Monday night. Arraez started at DH on Tuesday night.
UP NEXT
Astros: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-9, 4.29 ERA) is scheduled to start Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels, who will go with LHP José Suarez (1-2, 6.80).
Padres: Hadn't announced their starter for Friday night's home series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
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