The Chicago Cubs are reportedly close to completing a trade for Ryan Pressly, a right-handed pitcher, enhancing their bullpen depth as part of their ongoing offseason strategy. This marks the second significant trade between the Cubs and the Houston Astros, suggesting a growing partnership between the two teams.
According to insiders, Pressly has agreed to forgo his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal, which is pending the completion of medical evaluations. An unnamed source confirmed this information, emphasizing that they were not authorized to make public statements until the trade is officially finalized. The seasoned reliever previously had the option to block the trade due to his extensive experience of over 12 years in MLB and more than six years with the Astros. Last season, he recorded a 3.49 ERA across 59 games while supporting closer Josh Hader.
Earlier, the Cubs had secured All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in December as part of a multi-player transaction with Houston. The Cubs have been on the lookout for additional bullpen strength following a second consecutive season finishing second in the NL Central with a record of 83-79. Prior to finalizing this deal, Chicago was reportedly interested in Tanner Scott, but he ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In his debut season, Porter Hodge excelled with a commendable 1.88 ERA and nine saves, but the addition of Pressly seems likely to transition him into a setup pitcher role. Pressly’s contract is set to pay him $14 million in its final year, and the Astros may leverage the financial relief from this trade to improve their outfield roster. Additionally, there may be renewed interest in re-signing free agent third baseman Alex Bregman.
After Pressly’s departure, Bryan Abreu and Tayler Scott could be poised to step up and provide support to Hader, Houston’s new closer who joined the team after signing a lucrative $95 million, five-year deal last January. Hader concluded the last season with a 3.80 ERA and 34 saves across 71 games, contributing to the Astros’ seventh division title in eight years.
Pressly, a Dallas native, made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Minnesota Twins, where he spent over five seasons before being traded to the Astros in mid-2018. His time with Houston saw him rise to become one of the premier relievers in the game. A two-time All-Star, he notably went through a remarkable stretch from August 2018 to May 2019, during which he didn’t allow a single run over 40 consecutive appearances.
He played a crucial role in Houston’s second World Series victory in 2022, achieving a career-high of 33 saves while maintaining a solid 2.98 ERA during the regular season. His playoff performance was equally impressive; he clinched six saves, fanning 13 batters while yielding just one unearned run over 11 innings across ten postseason outings.
To date, Pressly holds a record of 35 wins against 36 losses, with a career ERA of 3.27 and 112 saves in 623 MLB games. He has also struck out 693 batters while issuing 190 walks over 650 innings pitched.
