The Kansas City Royals are adding a former World Series winner to the team’s pitching staff.
The Royals on Monday reportedly signed veteran relief pitcher Hector Neris. According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the right-handed hurler agreed to a minor league deal with a training camp invite.
Neris spent the first eight years of his MLB career with the Philadelphia Phillies. He had an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.19 across over 400 games. He also served as a closer for a couple of seasons, with 84 saves during that span.
The Dominican had his most successful stint with the Houston Astros. He played an integral part in the Astros’ 2022 World Series run. He allowed just one earned run across eight playoff games to help Houston hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy at season’s end. He followed that up with his best regular season in 2023, when he posted a career-best 1.71 ERA over 71 games.
Neris’ effectiveness has waned since then. He played for three different teams last season and posted a combined 6.75 ERA in 35 games.
The 36-year-old joins a Royals bullpen that ranked 4th in the American League with a 3.63 ERA last season. While Kansas City’s relief corps was effective, only the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen pitched fewer innings. Adding some veteran depth on a low-risk contract couldn’t hurt going into the 2026 season.
