'Former Hanwha' Weiss, Suddenly Placed on Waivers—Could He Move to the Eagles?

*This content was translated by AI.

Ryan Weiss (30, Houston Astros), who led the Hanwha Eagles' mound in the KBO League last season, has been placed on waivers just one season after joining Major League Baseball (MLB).

The Houston club announced on the 13th (Korean time) that it has placed Weiss on designated for assignment (DFA) status.

Weiss is a representative success story of reverse export produced by the KBO League. Joining Hanwha as a replacement foreign player midway through the 2024 season, Weiss successfully renewed his contract thanks to his quick adaptation. In the 2025 season, he made 30 starts, posting an impressive record of 16 wins and 5 losses with a 2.87 ERA, playing a decisive role in Hanwha's advancement to the Korean Series.

After the season concluded, Weiss signed a one-year, $2.6 million (approximately 3.9 billion won) contract with Houston and entered the big leagues.

However, the barrier of the big leagues proved high. Appearing in nine MLB games this season (two starts), Weiss struggled with three losses and no wins, posting a 7.62 ERA before being demoted to the minor leagues. The disappointing trend continued even in Triple-A, where he aimed for a rebound. Weiss started all five games but went winless with three losses and an 8.41 ERA, leading Houston to ultimately decide to release him.

If another MLB team expresses interest in acquiring Weiss within the next week, a trade will be possible. However, if no suitable team emerges, he may accept a minor league contract or exercise his free agent (FA) rights to enter the market.

If Weiss obtains FA status, the possibility of returning to the KBO League opens up. However, he must make a significant decision to forfeit the remaining salary he is set to receive this season.

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*This content was translated by AI.