After a number of days of hypothesis, the Astros will certainly be buying and selling reliever Ryan Pressly to the Cubs, The Athletic’s Chandler Rome studies. Pressly has agreed to waive his no-trade safety to permit the deal, with the New York Publish’s Jon Heyman writing that the right-hander will obtain a brand new no-trade clause, as properly an task bonus to cowl the tax distinction in relocating from Texas to Illinois. The Astros may also be sending the Cubs some cash to cowl a few of Pressly’s $14MM wage for 2025, and Houston will obtain at the very least one prospect again in return, in line with Rome. The commerce will grow to be official after a overview of the concerned medicals, as per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Pressly has been thought-about a commerce candidate for a lot of the offseason, and possibly even way back to August, when he hit the minimal variety of appearances to set off the vesting choice in his contract. Initially a two-year, $30MM extension, Pressly gained a 3rd 12 months and an additional $14MM by making 124 appearances over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, blowing previous the vesting threshold of 110 appearances. Whereas the Astros clearly valued the right-hander extremely just by dint of that frequent utilization, Houston has been working with pretty restricted payroll area this winter, making a $14MM wage for a reliever coming into his age-36 season appear somewhat expensive for his or her funds.
We already noticed proof of the Astros’ monetary maneuverings in one other main commerce with the Cubs, when Kyle Tucker was despatched to Wrigleyville for a commerce bundle of Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski, and prospect Cam Smith. Like Pressly, Tucker was managed simply by way of the 2025 season, and he’ll be making $16.5MM in his last 12 months of arbitration eligibility. The Astros have already used a few of the financial savings from the Tucker and Pressly trades in signing Christian Walker to a three-year, $60MM deal, and at the moment’s deal will certainly add extra gasoline to the hypothesis {that a} reunion may be doable between Houston and Alex Bregman.
RosterResource estimates the Astros’ 2025 payroll at $225.3MM, with a luxurious tax variety of $244M (with the caveat that the cash Houston is sending to Chicago within the commerce isn’t but identified). This represents a drop from their $244MM payroll and $262MM tax quantity in 2024, although the Astros are presently nonetheless a bit over the $241MM tax line. Proprietor Jim Crane indicated that the Astros can be prepared to spend at their 2024 ranges beneath the correct circumstances, so re-signing Bregman stays at the very least a chance, now that more cash has been cleared off the books.
USA At present’s Bob Nightengale reported three days in the past {that a} Cubs/Pressly commerce was “on the verge” of being finalized, although some late hurdles emerged, akin to some obvious late curiosity from the Tigers and Blue Jays. Pressly in the end held the ultimate say given his no-trade safety, and it appears as if he selected Chicago over Detroit as his subsequent touchdown spot.
At present’s information formally ends Pressly’s very profitable run in Houston, which started when the Astros acquired the righty from the Twins on the 2018 commerce deadline. Pressly posted a 2.81 ERA, 30.9% strikeout fee, and 6.16% stroll fee over 333 innings for the Astros, considerably flying beneath the radar as one of many simpler relievers in baseball. Past his regular-season work, Pressly posted a 2.78 ERA in 45 1/3 postseason innings for Houston, taking part in a giant function within the membership’s postseason success.
Initially used as a setup man, Pressly stepped into the nearer’s function in 2020 and excelled because the staff’s chief ninth-inning choice, however the Astros nonetheless opted to signal Josh Hader to a five-year, $95MM contract final winter. With Hader now within the fold, Pressly was moved again to setup work final season, nevertheless it appears seemingly that he’ll be Chicago’s prime saves candidate.
Rookie Porter Hodge pitched properly after changing into the Cubs’ nearer final 12 months, and whereas Hodge might be nonetheless considered because the nearer of the long run, Pressly brings rather more expertise and an extended monitor document of high quality. Hodge will definitely nonetheless be utilized in high-leverage conditions, and Pressly’s addition bumps everybody within the Cubs bullpen down a spot on the depth chart to strengthen your entire aid corps.
Pressly is probably the most distinguished new face in a Cubs bullpen that has additionally added Eli Morgan and Caleb Thielbar to the combo this offseason. Reduction pitching was a transparent want for the Cubs given how accidents significantly hampered their pen down the stretch final season, although the acquisitions nonetheless replicate Jed Hoyer’s choice of not over-investing within the aid market. The Cubs did attempt to make a giant splash because the runners-up to signing Tanner Scott, however with Scott off the board, Chicago pivoted away from one other long-term choices like Carlos Estevez to as a substitute tackle Pressly, who’s a free agent subsequent winter. Some extra strikes may be coming, as Rome, Patrick Mooney, and Sahadev Sharma report that the Cubs stay involved in including to their aid corps even after buying Pressly.
The underside-line outcomes had been nonetheless strong for Pressly in 2024, although there have been some purple flags in age-35 marketing campaign. Pressly’s strikeout, stroll, and whiff charges had been solely barely above league common, representing important dropoff from his numbers in each classes only a season in the past. On the plus facet, Pressly continued to generate grounders at a robust 48.8% fee, and his means to maintain the ball on the bottom has lengthy helped the right-hander counter-act his penchant for permitting laborious contact. Pressly additionally once more was the among the many league leaders in curveball and fastball spin charges, persevering with his career-long run of elite spin.
As for Houston’s bullpen, the Astros determine to be looking out for some bullpen assist to fill the void left behind from Pressly’s departure. Relying once more on how a lot GM Dana Brown has accessible to spend, the staff might pursue some lower-cost arms, or maybe make extra of an even bigger strike if Bregman certainly goes elsewhere and the Astros received’t be including one other main long-term wage. Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott, Kaleb Ort, and Bryan King mission as the highest setup or high-leverage choices in entrance of Hader in Houston’s present pen.
Picture courtesy of USA At present Sports activities Photos
