More on the Ryan Pressly Trade: No Guarantees, Trade Details, Comparisons, More

Over the weekend, with some fine-detail negotiations required both with the Astros and with the player, the Cubs reportedly finalized a deal that will send Ryan Pressly, plus $5.5 million in salary relief, to Chicago in exchange for pitching prospect Juan Bello.

Pressly had no-trade rights, a happy home situation for his young family, and an advantageous state tax setup. So, among other particulars in the deal, the Cubs and Astros agreed that he would get a new no-trade clause with the Cubs, a $500,000 assignment bonus, and at least some sense that he could be the new closer for the Cubs.

On that last one, however, Maddie Lee reports that Pressly was *not* guaranteed the closer job: “Pressly is a strong candidate to be the Cubs’ closer this season, but he’ll have to compete for the role. A source threw cold water on rumors that suggested Pressly only would approve the trade if he was guaranteed to be the closer, saying no such promises were made.”

I tend to trust that report, and I think we’ll go into Spring Training with the presumption that Pressly may have the first crack at locking down the closer job, but it might not be a come-hell-or-high-water situation. If he struggles, he could lose the job. Moreover, Craig Counsell might see fit to shift guys around anyway for particular match-ups or rest situations. We can think of Pressly right now as the “you-know-probably closer” for the Chicago Cubs, rather than THE CLOSER. Hopefully by mid-season, however, he’s really locked that down. We saw last year how valuable it can be to have that 9th inning completely under control (or, that is to say, how damaging it can be if you don’t), and Pressly does have experience.

Because Pressly is set to be traded for a non-40-man player in Bello, and because the Cubs also haven’t finalized the Jon Berti signing yet, their full 40-man is going to need two players chopped before too long. It’s possible we could see a modest trade or two, but you usually see teams trying to get guys through waivers this time of year, and outrighted to Triple-A.

Other Pressly-related notes …

• I keep seeing a certain parallel mentioned, so let me douse it: although both Ryan Pressly and Hector Neris were older setup men with the Houston Astros showing signs of decline before coming to the Cubs, suggesting that Pressly is going to fail because Neris did is pretty nonsensical. They are very different pitchers who have declined in different ways, with different skills to fall back on as they adjust, and there’s nothing about having been with the Astros (in the post-sticky-stuff era) that makes parallels between them logical. Neris was a disaster with the Cubs because he COMPLETELY lost his splitter, a pitch that was critical to his success. Pressly, we have to hope, can succeed on the strength of a much more diverse pitch mix (he used each of his four-seamer, curveball, slider, and changeup at least 10% of the time last year).
• Another thing on Pressly: his four-seamer was a negative value pitch last year, which may mean the Cubs intend for him to limit its usage. Or, since he is a natural cut-ride guy – something the Cubs have had so much success with (i.e., pitchers whose fastballs don’t drop as much as expected, and cut toward the glove side) – the Cubs might feel they can help him get the most out of the fastball. I guess that is all just to say I like that there’s a lot to work with here, and even though Pressly is a very established veteran, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that he could get a little boost in the Cubs’ org.
• A stray curious thing I noticed while perusing his stats: Pressly was, until the advent of the pitch clock, an incredibly slow working pitcher. Then the pitch clock comes in 2023, his pace has to speed way up, and his performance starts to drop. Is there a one-to-one impact there? Hard to say, given that there’s also natural aging (he’s now 36), but it’s interesting, right? Not sure if the Cubs could figure out some way to help him there. (Kyle Finnegan and Ryne Stanek are another couple available relievers who were super slow pre-pitch clock and then had to speed way up, for what it’s worth. Just kind of an interesting reminder on something to check out.)
• The Cubs may or may not be finished in the bullpen at this point, but with upwards of $10 million available to spend, they can absolutely keep monitoring the market. This is the time of year, of course, where you can get high-quality relievers on a good deal if you choose wisely.
• The Athletic reports that the Cubs are still looking, and Bruce Levine concurs, writing on X: “Despite trade for Ryan Pressly, Cubs still pursuing more bullpen depth. Conversations with David Robertson and agent for Ryan Stanek have been a part of their due diligence.” Robertson and Stanek are names we’ve been hearing about for a while now, and either would be a strong addition to the remade bullpen group. Robertson was better in 2024 and projects to be a bit better in 2025, but Stanek is a flame-thrower who is six years younger. My guess is that Robertson gets a little more money, but I’d be perfectly happy with either one being signed by the Cubs. Maybe a slight preference for Robertson, all else equal? (Also, just saying: old friend Andrew Chafin is still out there!)
• Closing with a reminder about the humanity of players and the families that surround them:

been unforgettable. We are forever grateful for the fans, teammates, friends that have become family, and the countless memories. Thank you for everything. Houston, you have our hearts. 🏆⚾ #WorldSeriesChamps #HoustonStrong— kat pressly (@KatPressly) January 26, 2025

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