Ryan Weiss. Yonhap News
Pitcher Ryan Weiss, who joined Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros on the strength of his performance with the KBO League’s Hanwha Eagles last year, faces release after just half a season.
The Houston club announced Tuesday that it had designated Weiss for assignment (DFA). Weiss joined Hanwha during the 2024 season and made a strong impression in 2025, appearing in 30 games and recording 16 wins, 5 losses, a 2.87 ERA, and 207 strikeouts. Powered by Weiss’s performance, Hanwha advanced to the Korean Series.
Having caught the eye of MLB scouts, Weiss signed a one-year contract worth a total of 2.6 million dollars (about 4 billion won) with Houston after the season ended and headed to the United States. Weiss, who made the team’s opening-day roster, was expected to perform well in the big leagues, but he fell short of expectations, posting 3 losses and a 7.62 ERA in 9 regular-season games.
Weiss was demoted to the minor leagues hoping for a rebound, but struggled with no wins, 3 losses, and an 8.41 ERA over 5 games. Houston ultimately decided to release him.
Weiss can immediately transfer if a team expresses interest in signing him. However, if no team wants him, his status will change to that of a minor leaguer or he will become a free agent (FA). Some have raised the possibility that Weiss could return to Hanwha, where he had thrived.