The Angels announced this evening that they’ve designated right-hander Hector Neris for assignment. Right-hander Jose Fermin was recalled to the big league roster in a corresponding move.
Neris, 36, departs his second organization of the 2025 campaign. He signed in Atlanta on a minor league deal in mid-March and made the Opening Day roster despite making just three appearances in Spring Training. That abbreviated ramp-up period may have contributed to his deep struggles out of the gate with the Braves, as he surrendered five runs on five hits and a walk in one inning of work across two appearances. He found himself designated for assignment before the end of March, and elected free agency after clearing outright waivers in early April.
He signed with the Angels on a minor league pact in mid-April but didn’t find his way to Anaheim until May 6. Since then, the veteran has made 21 appearances for the Angels despite pitching only 14 innings. He’s surrendered nine runs (eight earned) in that time, leaving him with a lackluster 5.14 ERA, but his 31.7% strikeout rate and 3.30 FIP with Anaheim are both potentially encouraging signs in the underlying numbers. Enticing as that high strikeout rate is, however, the fact that Neris never found himself into a high leverage role with the Angels suggests that the club had little confidence in the veteran to continue putting up those impressive numbers.
Given that, it’s not exactly a surprise to see him cut loose. The Angels will have one week to either trade Neris or pass him through waivers. If he clears waivers, he’ll have the opportunity to elect free agency but could also choose to remain in the organization on an outright assignment. Should he elect free agency, it’s not hard to see him continuing to garner interest on a minor league deal. After all, the veteran of 12 big league seasons was a dominant set-up man as recently as 2023. From 2019 to ’23, Neris posted a 3.12 ERA and a 3.47 FIP across 307 appearances for the Phillies and Astros and even picked up 50 saves along the way. That sort of late inning experience could be an asset for clubs in need of bullpen depth, though Neris’s 4.84 ERA since the start of the 2024 season seems to suggest his high-leverage days are behind him.
Replacing Neris on the active roster is Fermin, who made his big league debut with the Angels earlier this year. The righty has ten big league appearances under his belt during which he’s posted a 4.82 ERA across 9 1/3 innings of work, but his 33.3% strikeout rate is impressive enough that it’s not hard to imagine the 23-year-old finding some success in the majors if he can maintain a role in the Anaheim bullpen over a longer period of time. He’s posted a 3.00 ERA in 15 innings of work across three levels of the minors this year.
Bye bye neris. Time to retire
He has one more stop to make.
Queens NY.
Fermín is a pitcher, the infielder is on St. Louis 🙂
The Jose Fermin on the Angels is a pitcher; Jose Fermin the infielder is on the Cardinals.
I hope Hector catches on somewhere, at least briefly. He appears to be dangerously close to 10 years service time – like within a month so so.
I always root for players getting that magic ten years.
If a Neris falls in the forrest, would anyone notice? If this wasn’t reported, I’m not sure any Angel fan would have noticed him not pitching in games.
Well something similar is how I feel about the Angels. I only say this because something felt unfair to say it about Neris when the whole team is a perennial joke. They are sort of like the Marlins (with a payroll).
Plus why wouldn’t people notice when a pitcher has been doing poorly on your team? It stands out. Tho I’m sure he’s pitching innings that aren’t very important.
Rishi, Typically, You notice pitchers who blow games. You notice pitchers that win games, but you don’t notice pitchers who don’t pitch crucial innings.
He really didn’t enter the circle of trust.
My opinion.
I thought Neris didn’t look so bad and had a high strikeout rate, but he was seldom used. Connor Brogdon on the other is overused and instills little confidence.
Hopefully they can resign Neris to a MiLB deal for depth. Rather have him at triple-A than Shaun Anderson who has been atrocious.
To be honest, I barely noticed him. When that happens, it typically means he neither won games or lost them.
I notice Kevin Newman for example. That’s a bad thing.
I’m with you, I forget (at times) that Neris is an option in the pen. But I cringe every time Brogdon is brought in with inherited runners on base as I know they will end up scoring. Neris was brought in a couple of times with inherited runners and got a bunch of strikeouts – would’ve liked to see him used a little more in high leverage situations.
Turn off the Siren.
He was a big reason the 2021 Phillies missed the playoffs and a big reason why the 2022 Astros won the World Series. In Philly his sinker never sunk against the Braves. He made guys like Pederson, and Duvall legends in Atlanta. Oh well time for him to retire like I wished he did in 2018.
Whichever team is projected to face the Yankees in the playoffs should add this guy. Judge is like 1-15 & 8ks all time against him. The Judge neutralizer.
I know the team was already losing, but I’m surprised they didn’t cut Strickland after his bad inning last night. Maybe previous history let him keep his job?