Yankees and Rangers are “potential frontrunners” to sign…

Yankees and Rangers are “potential frontrunners” to sign Hector Neris.

The market for right-hander Hector Neris may be heating up, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, who claims that the Yankees and Rangers have emerged as potential frontrunners for his services.

Neris signed a two-year deal with the Astros prior to the 2022 season after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Phillies. The contract had a $8.5MM vesting option ($1MM buyout) for the 2024 season, but Neris exceeded the appearance levels required to convert it to a player option and refused it earlier this winter, allowing him to leave Houston and test the market. It’s simple to see why Neris passed on the opportunity. The 34-year-old is coming off a stellar season in Houston, when he compiled a 1.71 ERA (246 ERA+) with a 28.2% strikeout rate in 68 1/3 innings pitched across 71 appearances.

While an increased 11.4% walk rate and an astounding 90.5% strand rate, as well as his 3.83 FIP, cast doubt on that excellent performance, Neris’ stint in Houston as a whole showcases Neris as one of the more consistent relievers in the league over the previous two seasons. Neris has a 2.69 ERA and 3.10 FIP in 133 2/3 innings of work since the start of the 2022 season, with a 29.1% strikeout rate and a 9% walk rate. His ERA is ninth among relievers with at least 120 innings of work over the last two seasons, and his strikeout rate is fourteenth.

Because of his good performance in Houston, MLBTR predicted a two-year $15MM contract for Neris on our annual Top 50 MLB free agents list, where he was placed 46th. However, his market has been quite quiet this winter. While the Astros and Cardinals have both been mentioned as probable landing locations for the righty this winter, much of the focus on the right-handed relief market has been on Jordan Hicks. Having said that, the announcement of Hicks’ four-year agreement with the Giants yesterday removes the top right-handed reliever from the market, leaving Neris as perhaps the second best righty reliever available after Robert Stephenson.

It’s not surprising that the Rangers would be interested in Neris’ services. The defending World Series winners’ bullpen issues are well-documented at this point, with a relief corps that labored to a 4.77 ERA last year losing free agents like Aroldis Chapman, Will Smith, and Chris Stratton. As a result, closer Jose Leclerc is the Rangers’ sole dependable late-inning holdover heading into 2024. While the arrival of Kirby Yates earlier this winter should assist, Texas will undoubtedly want more relief reinforcements this winter if they are to finish first in the AL West in 2024, let alone return to the World Series. While the team has been linked to relief ace Josh Hader this winter, the club’s alleged financial troubles may put the lefty out of their price range, making Neris a more affordable option.

The Yankees, on the other hand, are an unexpected bidder for the veteran righty. While the relief corps lost a key piece in Michael King to the Padres as part of the return for Juan Soto, the Bronx bullpen still features Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loasigia, and Tommy Kahnle as high-leverage arms, with Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross, and Victor Gonzalez among those expected to handle the middle innings. Given the strength of that group, it’s reasonable to wonder if the club’s resources would be better invested elsewhere, especially given the questions that remain in the rotation despite the addition of Marcus Stroman.

Nonetheless, Andy Martino of SNY confirms that the Yankees are in the relief market at this point in the season and speculates that a reunion with left-hander Wandy Peralta, who posted a 2.83 ERA despite a 5.05 FIP in 54 innings with the club last year, could be another option for the team to pursue in its search for bullpen upgrades. Martino also mentions that the team was extensively involved in the Hicks sweepstakes before he ultimately decided to go to San Francisco for a shot to start. With free agents such as Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery expected to sign large contracts and the asking price for trade candidates such as Dylan Cease seemingly out of New York’s comfort zone, it’s possible that GM Brian Cashman and his front office have shifted their focus to bolstering the club’s bullpen as an alternative route to upgrading the club’s pitching staff after focusing on rotation upgrades for much of the winter.