Cubs Dump Hector Neris in Surprise Roster Move

The Chicago Cubs open up a three-game set with the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Following the off day, ESPN's Jesse Rogers dropped a massive news bomb on the team's fan base. Per Rogers, the Cubs designated reliever Hector Neris for assignment and the righty cleared waivers, meaning his contract was terminated.

To take his place on the roster and in the bullpen, the Cubs have called up right-hander Jack Neely, who was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Mark Leiter Jr. trade . Neely is currently considered the Cubs' No. 18 prospect .

Neris had a rough season in Chicago, despite recording 17 saves. He pitched to a 3.89 ERA but allowed 41 hits and 26 walks in just 44.0 innings of work. In fact, fans could count on one hand the amount of outings he had where he did not allow a baserunner. With the Cubs near the top of baseball in blown saves this season, it's easy to look at Neris as one of the top culprits of the putrid stat.

Per Rogers, the Cubs will not have to honor Neris' option for next season. This frees up another $9 million that Jed Hoyer has to work with this season. Neris is still owed money for the rest of the year, minus a potential league minimum if he is signed, but the "Nervous Neris" narrative is over in Chicago.

On the other hand, fans should be excited to see Jack Neely get the call. The 6-foot-8 righty has split time between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024, showcasing impressive stats. Since he was acquired by the Cubs, Neely has thrown 6.2 innings, allowing only one unearned run, and earning three saves. Neely has also struck out 13 batters while allowing just one walk.

The former 11th-round pick by the Yankees features a solid fastball and a devastating slider. He's striking out batters at an impressive 17.55 K/9 rate and should be one of the first arms to get chances at closing games alongside Jorge Lopez.

The Cubs and Tigers will get their series started with a 7:05 PM CDT first pitch on Tuesday. Javier Assad takes the bump for the Cubs, while the Tigers have yet to announce their starter.

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