Chicago In their second big offseason trade with the Houston Astros, the Chicago Cubs are completing a deal for relief pitcher Ryan Pressly, adding the right-hander to the back end of their bullpen.
According to someone with knowledge of the matter, Pressly has consented to waive his no-trade provision, and an agreement has been reached between the teams, subject to a review of medical data. Since the trade was still pending, the individual spoke to the AP on Sunday under the condition of anonymity.
Due to his twelve years in the major leagues and more than six seasons with the Astros, Pressly was entitled to oppose the deal. In 59 appearances as Josh Hader’s setup man last season, he recorded a 3.49 ERA.
Kyle Tucker, an All-Star outfielder, was also acquired by the Cubs in December through a multiplayer trade with the Astros.
After going 83-79 and finishing second in the NL Central for the second consecutive season in 2024, Chicago has been looking for bullpen relief. Before Tanner Scott joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was supposedly in the running for him.
With Pressly’s arrival, Porter Hodge, who had an outstanding first season with Chicago with a 1.88 ERA and nine saves, is probably going to move into a setup role.
Houston might enhance its outfield with the money it saved in the deal, as Pressly is scheduled to earn $14 million in the last year of his contract. Additionally, it might redouble efforts to get free agency third baseman Alex Bregman back.
After Pressly committed to a five-year, $95 million contract last January, Hader took over as Houston’s closer. As the Astros won the AL West for the third time in the previous eight seasons, he recorded 34 saves in 71 games with a 3.80 ERA.
In Houston’s bullpen, Bryan Abreu and Tayler Scott might both assume a more significant role in front of Hader now that Pressly is leaving.
Pressly, a 36-year-old native of Dallas, played for the Twins for his first five or more seasons after making his major league debut with Minnesota in 2013. In July 2018, he was moved to Houston.
As one of baseball’s top relievers, Pressly gained notoriety with the Astros. From August 15, 2018, to May 23, 2019, the two-time All-Star went 40 games in a row without giving up a run.
In 2022, he played a significant role in Houston’s second World Series victory. He went on a spectacular run in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a career-high 33 saves and a 2.98 ERA. In 11 innings across 10 appearances, he allowed four hits and an unearned run while striking out 13 batters and saving six postseason games.
In 623 major league games, Pressly is 35-36 with a 3.27 ERA and 112 saves. In 650 innings, he has also recorded 190 walks and 693 strikeouts.
