The Kansas City Royals are taking a chance on a seasoned pitcher, but will it pay off? They've agreed to a minor league deal with Héctor Neris, a 36-year-old veteran right-handed reliever, as reported by Jon Heyman of The New York Post. And this is where things get interesting for baseball fans.
Neris has had a long career, reaching the 10-year service milestone last season. However, his recent performance has been a mixed bag. In 2025, he played for three teams - the Braves, Angels, and Astros - appearing in 35 games and pitching 26 2/3 innings. While he boasted an impressive 28.2% strikeout rate, his walk and home run rates were concerning, resulting in a high 6.75 earned run average.
Here's the intriguing part: Neris was once a dominant late-game reliever. He was a key leverage player for the Phillies and Astros earlier in his career. His standout season was arguably 2023, with a career-low 1.71 ERA across 71 appearances for Houston. But, as they say, what goes up must come down. Neris struggled in the postseason that year, although he had shined during the World Series run the previous season, pitching six impressive innings with just one run allowed and nine strikeouts.
Neris' splitter remains a threat, but his command and velocity have declined. His fastball, once clocking in at 95 MPH, averaged 92.4 MPH last year. As a fly-ball pitcher, this drop in speed has made it easier for batters to hit him hard. Opponents feasted on his fastball last season, hitting .366 with four homers and an equal number of doubles.
The Royals are giving Neris a shot in Spring Training, but will he reclaim his former glory? Their pitching staff is already quite deep, and opportunities are scarce. With Alex Lange and Daniel Lynch IV having minor league options, there might be one bullpen spot available. But will Neris seize it? The Royals haven't made many non-roster additions, and Neris joins Jose Cuas as their only minor league bullpen pickups with MLB experience, though Cuas won't be at the big league camp.
Will Neris find his old form, or is this a gamble that won't pay off? The baseball world is watching, and opinions are sure to vary. What do you think? Is this a smart move by the Royals, or are they chasing a fading star?
