Cubs add reliever Neris on one-year deal (report)

The Cubs and right-handed reliever Hector Neris have agreed on a one-year, $9 million contract that includes an option for 2025, according to a report by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The $9 million team option converts to a player option at 60 games, according to Passan. The Cubs have not confirmed the deal.

Neris enjoyed a career year in 2023, posting a career-low 1.71 ERA in 71 appearances along with a 1.05 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings. Marked improvements to his repertoire sparked a major drop in the quality of contact hitters made against him; after ranking in the 8th percentile among qualifying pitchers with a 44.7 percent hard-hit rate in 2022, he ranked in the 98th percentile in 2023 (28.0 percent). His four-seamer, which he deployed 51.7 percent of the time, generated a .153 batting average and .306 slugging percentage (.209/.374 in 2022).

The 34-year-old would make seven appearances in the postseason, although his performance didn’t match up to his regular season results. He surrendered six earned runs in 8 1/3 innings of work in the Astros’ ALDS and ALCS matchups against the Twins and Rangers, respectively.

Neris spent the first eight years of his career with the Phillies, serving as the club’s closer from 2017-21, before signing a two-year, $17 million deal with the Astros in Dec. 2021. The deal included an $8.5 million player option for the 2024 season were Neris to make 60 appearances in both 2022 and ’23 or 110 total appearances in his first two seasons in Houston. Neris, who made 141 appearances in an Astros uniform, elected to decline the option.

In 10 Major League seasons, he has a lifetime 3.24 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and 11.2 K/9 rate.