Héctor Neris Signs One-Year Deal with Cubs

The Cubs bolster their bullpen with the addition of the right-handed reliever, following a series of injuries that affected their performance last season.

Héctor Neris, the right-handed reliever, has signed a one-year, $9 million free-agent agreement with the Cubs, which includes a club option for a second season that can turn into a $9 million player option if he makes 60 appearances.
Neris' average fastball velocity dropped from 94.3 mph in 2022 to 93.0 in 2023, a loss of nearly 1.5 mph, according to Statcast.
Neris opted out of his $8.5 million player option with the Astros to become a free agent, and ultimately landed a better deal.
The Cubs have been hit hard with bullpen injuries, which contributed to their 12-16 record in September and subsequent near-miss of a wild card berth.
The Cubs' payroll now sits at roughly $196.3M, and there's still plenty of room to go before Chicago hits the $237M luxury tax threshold.