The Chicago Cubs are on the verge of finalizing an agreement concerning Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly, subject to a physical examination.
Understand how this trade may affect both teams for the next season.
As ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros are believed to have struck a deal that would see veteran closer Ryan Pressly make his way to the Cubs.
That deal is yet to be confirmed as we await a physical examination.
As part of the trade, the Cubs and Pressly have agreed that he will drop his no-trade clause, and the Astros will pay a portion of his 14 million salary.
The reason the Astros may be moving on from Pressly could be to make room salary-wise to bring back third baseman Alex Bregman.
The general manager for the Astros, Dana Brown, has recently mentioned it is a possibility, saying the door was “cracked” open, but called it a “long shot.”
Brown said, “When we made trades and moves this offseason, we didn’t think Bregman would still be on the market.” “We’ve had some conversations, and I’ll leave it at that. Interestingly, he’s still available.”
Also Read: Dodgers Could Trade Players to Make Room for New Signings
Reportedly, the Astros offered Bregman an upfront six-year deal costing $156 million earlier this winter. So, trading Pressly and freeing that salary could make signing Bregman easier.
For now, the Astros have made other moves to address the possibility of a vacancy at Bregman.
The first baseman Walker was signed, and Isaac Paredes was acquired in the trade with Houston, which involved Kyle Tucker going to the Cubs. Even so, maintaining Bregman is the best option for Houston.
Ryan Pressly, who is 36, had a record of 2 wins and three losses in the 2024 season. Additionally, he had an earned run average of 3.49 and gave away 1.34 WHIP, resulting in 58 strikeouts in 56.2 innings.
He also recorded four saves but ended up seeding his closer role for one more flexible within the Astro’s bullpen, eventually allowing Josh Hader to step into the position.
Cub’s staff has him on board to become their new starting closer, which will significantly improve their bullpen for the upcoming season. If successful, this will help them greatly if they want to stay competitive in 2025.
Also Read: New York Mets Announce New Blue Alternate Road Uniforms for The 2025 Season