Fantasy News

• Cubs' Hector Neris: In mix for saves

  Rotowire Apr 21, 2024

  Neris should be one of the top options for saves after manager Craig Counsell indicated Sunday that Adbert Alzolay isn't currently considered the closer, Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Neris picked up his first save of the year in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader after Alzolay blew his fourth save. Counsell didn't name a replacement, but Neris is the obvious candidate given his usage Saturday and his experience as a high-leverage arm. Mark Leiter should also be in the mix.

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• Cubs' Hector Neris: Notches first save

  Rotowire Apr 21, 2024

  Neris struck out one and allowed one hit and no walks in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader versus Miami. Closer Adbert Alzolay blew a save chance in Game 1, opening the door for Neris to handle the final frame of the nightcap. The 34-year-old has endured some struggles early in the season with seven walks over seven innings, but he hasn't given up a run in his past four appearances. Alzolay has already blown four saves, and Neris is likely the next man up for save chances should the closer continue to falter.

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• Cubs' Hector Neris: Uneven start to season

  Rotowire Apr 12, 2024

  Through four appearances (3.2 innings), Neris has a 7.36 ERA and 1.91 WHIP to go along with five strikeouts. Neris has continued to miss bats at a high rate as he's done his entire career, though he's struggled to limit baserunners, and that's led to his high WHIP and ERA so far. It's of course a small sample, and the veteran righty posted a 1.71 ERA and 1.05 WHIP last season with the Astros, so better days are likely ahead. Neris should continue to work in a setup role in front of closer Adbert Alzolay.

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• Cubs' Hector Neris: Possible saves candidate

  Rotowire Mar 15, 2024

  Cubs manager Craig Counsell doesn't plan to have defined roles for Neris or any other member of the bullpen heading into the season, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports. Adbert Alzolay is probably first in line to close for the Cubs, with Neris closely behind. However, Counsell wants his usage of the bullpen to evolve organically rather than pigeon-holing guys before the season starts. Neris inked a one-year, $9 million contract with the Cubs in January after posting a 1.71 ERA with 77 strikeouts and a career-high 31 holds in 68.1 frames for Houston last year.

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• Cubs' Hector Neris: Steady results so far

  Rotowire Mar 10, 2024

  Neris, who tossed a scoreless inning of relief with a strikeout in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Rockies, has a 2.25 ERA across four spring appearances. Neris is expected to settle into a high-leverage role after joining the Cubs over the winter. The veteran righty was a key member of the Houston bullpen the last few seasons, and he posted a stellar 1.71 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 68.1 innings for the Astros last year. Neris will likely set up closer Adbert Alzolay to begin the regular season, though the former is an option for saves if Alzolay struggles.

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• Cubs' Hector Neris: Inks deal with Cubs

  Rotowire Jan 27, 2024

  Neris signed a one-year, $9 million contract with the Cubs on Saturday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. Neris posted the best numbers of his career in 2023 with a 1.71 ERA and 1.05 WHIP while striking out 77 batters in 68.1 frames and picking up 31 holds. The 34-year-old righty will immediately slide into a high-leverage role with Chicago, and he could be in the mix for save chances alongside Adbert Alzolay. Neris' new deal includes a $9 million team option for 2025 that turns into a player option if he pitches in 60 games this year -- a mark he has hit in each of the past three seasons.

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• Hector Neris: Declines player option

  Rotowire Nov 4, 2023

  Neris declined his $8.5 million player option for 2024 on Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. Neris will receive a $1 million buyout and enter the free agent market after enjoying the best statistical season of his career (1.71 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) with the Astros. Neris will turn 35 in June, so a long-term deal isn't likely, but he should have little trouble finding a place to pitch in 2024.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Earns 20th hold

  Rotowire Jul 22, 2023

  Neris two walks over a scoreless inning in Friday's 6-4 win over the Athletics. He didn't strike out or walk a batter. Neris entered in the eighth inning with Houston leading 6-4. The veteran reliever walked the first two batters he faced before inducing a pop out and a double play to escape the frame. Neris has earned a hold in three of his last four appearances, allowing just one hit (a home run) and striking out five across four innings during that stretch.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Picks up second save

  Rotowire May 15, 2023

  Neris struck out two in a perfect inning and earned a save in Monday's 6-4 win over the Cubs. Neris needed just 10 pitches to quickly close out the 6-4 win. It was his first save since April 1 and he extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings. Neris is now sporting a 1.47 ERA with a 22:7 K:BB through 18 appearances. Ryan Pressly did not pitch Monday after picking up a save Sunday.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Earns save in Pressly's absence

  Rotowire Apr 1, 2023

  Neris picked up the save Saturday against the White Sox, allowing one run on two hits and a walk in 1.1 innings while striking out two. Ryan Pressly's illness led to a save chance for Rafael Montero on Friday and one for Neris on Saturday. Neris struck out Elvis Andrus to clean up Ryne Stanek's mess in the eighth inning, though he got into trouble himself in the next frame. Yasmani Grandal walked to start the inning and came around to score on a pair of two-out singles, but Neris struck out Yoan Moncada to seal the deal. Neris may not add too many more saves to his ledger the rest of the way, however, as both Pressly and Montero are ahead of him on the closer depth chart.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Not concerned with velocity dip

  Rotowire Mar 21, 2023

  Neris told reporters after Tuesday's Grapefruit League appearance that he wasn't concerned about his dip in velocity, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Neris normally works in the mid-90s with his fastball -- typically sitting 94-96 mph -- but Tuesday the right-hander was only in the low-90s with his heater. It was his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic, and it's possible the 33-year-old was working out some rust in the contest. Neris is expected to serve as a bridge option in the middle-innings to closer Ryan Pressly for the 2023 campaign.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Nabs third save

  Rotowire Aug 31, 2022

  Neris pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to earn the save in a 4-2 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday. Neris was called in to protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning, and he shut the door with two strikeouts on 15 pitches. Neris has been excellent lately and now has three consecutive scoreless appearances with six strikeouts over the past week to lower his WHIP to 0.96 on the season. Neris has joined Rafael Montero in the mix for saves primary closer Ryan Pressly is sidelined with neck spasms.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Picks up second save

  Rotowire Aug 13, 2022

  Neris pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout to earn the save in a 7-5 victory over the Athletics. With Ryan Pressly unavailable to pitch due to a stiff neck, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, Dusty Baker turned to Neris to close the door in the ninth. Neris only needed seven pitches to retire the side and pick up his second save of the season. Neris has put together five scoreless appearances in a row to lower his ERA to 3.33 and his WHIP to an excellent 0.89. It is worth monitoring the health of Pressly to see if Neris could combine with Rafael Montero to pick up any further saves while the usual closer is sidelined.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Bounces back Friday

  Rotowire Jul 23, 2022

  Neris allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning to earn his first save of the season in Friday's 5-2 win over the Mariners. Neris blew a save and picked up a win in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Yankees, but he received another chance to close out a contest just a day later. He delivered this time, working around a one-out double from Dylan Moore. Neris has mainly been a setup man for the Astros, but he's seen save chances lately with Ryan Pressly (personal) on the paternity list. Neris owns a 3.60 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 41:11 K:BB, 18 holds and two blown saves through 40 innings this year.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Blows save chance

  Rotowire Jul 22, 2022

  Neris (3-3) allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk to blow the save but earn a win in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Yankees. He was the first reliever to get a chance in the closer role with Ryan Pressly (personal) briefly away from the team. Neris was able to get two outs, but he then allowed a game-tying single to Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The right-hander has been a strong high-leverage option for the Astros this season, but he may lose out on save chances to Rafael Montero -- who converted his opportunity in the second game of the doubleheader -- while Pressly is away from the team.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Tallies 16th hold

  Rotowire Jun 26, 2022

  Neris walked two but turned in a scoreless eighth inning to record a hold Saturday against the Yankees. Neris immediately followed Cristian Javier into the game and did his part to maintain the team's no-hitter. Neris was a bit wild in the process, walking two of the first three batters he faced. However, he was ultimately able to get out of the jam to record his 16th hold of the season while also maintaining a 3.73 ERA and 33:8 K:BB across 31.1 frames.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Clean inning in return

  Rotowire Jun 19, 2022

  Neris (suspension) struck out one in a perfect inning during Saturday's 7-0 loss to the White Sox. Neris completed a three-game suspension Friday and rejoined the Astros' bullpen for Saturday's game. He's allowed six runs across five innings in June, picking up two holds, a loss and a blown save. The 33-year-old has a 3.62 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 30:6 K:BB while adding 12 holds in 30 appearances as a veteran high-leverage arm.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Available Saturday

  Rotowire Jun 18, 2022

  Neris is available out of the Astros' bullpen for Saturday's game against the White Sox after serving his three-game suspension, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Neris was unavailable for the last three games after MLB determined that he intentionally threw at the Mariners' Eugenio Suarez on June 7. Over five appearances since the start of June, the right-hander picked up two holds while giving up six runs in four innings.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Serving three-game ban

  Rotowire Jun 14, 2022

  Neris will begin serving a three-game suspension starting with Tuesday's contest against the Rangers after the ban was reduced from four games following an appeal, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. The reliever's suspension stems from MLB having deemed that he intentionally threw at the Mariners' Eugenio Suarez during the Astros' 7-4 loss to Seattle on June 7. Neris will miss the final two games of the Astros' series in Texas along with Friday's series opener against the White Sox before he's eligible to return Saturday.

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• Astros' Hector Neris: Appealing four-game ban

  Rotowire Jun 7, 2022

  Neris was handed a four-game suspension after MLB determined he intentionally threw at Eugenio Suarez on Monday while warnings were in place, but the right-hander is appealing the ban and will be available for Tuesday's game against the Mariners, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Neris had already hit one batter and given up a homer during the inning prior to the incident with Suarez, and the veteran reliver is now facing a multi-game suspension. The 32-year-old will remain available for Houston until the appeal is heard.

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