How a familiar face opens up new opportunities for Houston Astros final stretch run
HE'S BAAACK!
22 August 2024
HE'S BAAACK!
As the Astros head down the homestretch, it appears some reinforcements are arriving at the perfect time.
One day after the return of Justin Verlander to the starting rotation, the Astros are adding a top-notch high-leverage relief pitcher.
According to multiple reports, the Astros are signing former Houston reliever Hector Neris.
The Astros are close to a major-league deal with reliever Héctor Neris, source confirms what @AriA1exander first reported. The Cubs DFAd Neris earlier this week. Houston would be on the hook for the prorated league minimum salary.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 22, 2024
The timing of this move couldn't be better, with Ryan Pressly on the injured list and Bryan Abreu racking up a massive amount of innings.
Neris was arguably the club's most dominant relief pitcher last season, posting a 1.71 ERA and coming up with some huge outs in the postseason.
Neris also brings leadership to a team that lost Martin Maldonado and Michael Brantley after the 2023 season.
His ability to get left-handed hitters out with his nasty splitter will definitely come in handy down the stretch and hopefully into the playoffs.
Last season, Neris held left-handed batters to a .155 batting average and only allowed one homer to lefties. He was also effective against righties, who only recorded a .187 batting average against him.
If he's so good, why did the Cubs release him?
If Neris had continued pitching for Chicago, he would have hit certain milestones in his contract that would guarantee his salary for next season. So the Cubs decided to put him on waivers and eventually DFA him.
Neris also won't be expected to be the team's closer in Houston. He will provide Joe Espada with another quality option to attack hitters late in games.
And while Kaleb Ort and Tayler Scott have been pleasant surprises this season, 2024 has been an outlier when looking at their career numbers.
Also, Scott has been used a lot this season, and we're seeing some diminishing returns. In his last 8 outings, he's given up at least one run in 4 of them.
What should we expect?
Neris is sporting a 3.89 ERA in 2024, but the biggest concern is his 1.52 WHIP. His WHIP is inflated because of the massive amount of walks he's allowing.
Hector is surrendering over FIVE walks per nine innings this season. A number he's only reached in the COVID-shorted season.
Last year, he walked a little over four batters per nine innings. So he's walking one extra hitter per nine this season. And when we look back at his 2022 numbers with the 'Stros, he was only allowing free passes at a rate of 2.3 per nine innings.
Hopefully, reuniting with the Houston pitching coaches will help him get that walk number down and make him more effective.
Double whammy!
Neris had a lot of interest since his release from the Cubs, so it says a lot that he wanted to return to Houston instead of going to the Yankees, Red Sox, or another contending team. Plus, his signing with the 'Stros not only strengthens them, but also keeps him from making one of Houston's competitors stronger.
It's a win-win for Hector. If he pitches well for the remainder of the season, he'll likely get another nice contract in the offseason either from the Astros or another team.
If Neris pitches up to his potential and Pressly returns healthy and effective, it's hard to imagine a better bullpen than the Astros'.
He also provides an extra arm to go to when Josh Hader, Pressly, or Abreu are unavailable in a must-win situation.
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine the addition of Neris, and discuss how Alex Bregman's arm injury will impact the DH spot in the lineup, and the challenges this will present moving forward.
Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Victor Caratini hit his third career grand slam, Christian Walker went 3 for 4 with an RBI and the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 6-5 on Tuesday night.
CARATINI GRAND SLAM!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/Rtrlwz9dfo
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 2, 2025
The Astros have won seven of eight and 15 of their last 19 games.
The Rockies have lost nine of 11 following their first four-game winning streak, falling to a major league-worst 19-66. Colorado’s losses are tied for the most by a major league team in the modern era through the first 85 games.
The Rockies are 8-33 at Coors Field, tied with the 2003 Tigers for the worst start through the first 41 home games of a season in the modern era.
Caratini’s homer in the third gave Houston a 6-1 lead.
Houston reliever Bennett Sousa (2-0) kept Colorado scoreless in the sixth and Bryan Abreu struck out the side in the eighth. Josh Hader added two strikeouts in the ninth to improve to 24 for 24 in save chances — the longest perfect streak in club history to open a season.
Colorado rookie Chase Dollander (2-9) allowed six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest start of the season.
Hunter Goodman hit solo homers in the first and ninth innings for his fifth career two-homer game.
Colorado's Jordan Beck had his first career five-hit game.
Dollander thew the ball into center field on a pickoff attempt with no outs in the third to put runners on first and third. Jake Meyers picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice to give Houston the lead for good at 2-1.
Jose Altuve went 0 for 4 to remain one hit shy of tying Jeff Bagwell (2,314) for second place on the Astros career hits list.
Astros manager Joe Espada caught up with MLB.com's Brian McTaggart after the game.
Astros manager Joe Espada after the win in Colorado. pic.twitter.com/G0xi7ojYEl
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 2, 2025
Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.74 ERA), who has the fourth-lowest ERA through the first 16 starts of a season in Astros history, faces Austin Gomber (0-1, 6.14) on Wednesday.