As the Houston Astros aim for another World Series run this year, they’re reuniting with a key player from their previous championship team. Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reported on Thursday that the Astros are signing reliever Hector Neris, who became available after being released by the Chicago Cubs earlier this week.
Neris, 35, has a strong history with the Astros, having pitched for them from 2022-2023 and being part of their World Series-winning squad in 2022. During his time with Houston, Neris was a crucial component of a combined no-hitter in June of that year and maintained a solid 2.69 ERA with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
With a summer surge propelling the Astros to a 68-58 record and a five-game lead in the AL West, the team looks set for another deep postseason run. Neris, who has an 8-4 record with a 3.89 ERA this season, will provide much-needed reinforcement, especially with fellow right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly currently on the injured list. This signing adds to recent moves that have strengthened Houston’s pitching unit.
