Astros right-hander Ryan Pressly is being “extensively shopped” on the commerce market this winter, in response to a report from USA Immediately’s Bob Nightengale. That’s not the primary indication this winter that Pressly might be accessible, as a report emerged final month indicating that Houston had at the least internally mentioned dealing the veteran righty, but it surely’s nonetheless notable that the membership has seeming begun buying him to rival golf equipment on the commerce market.
On the outset of the offseason, GM Dana Brown was candid about the truth that his membership’s price range for this winter was trying tight. Whereas the membership has emphasised its need to stay in rivalry subsequent 12 months, Brown acknowledged the membership might need to get “artistic” in addressing holes on the roster. That was a probably ominous signal for a membership that noticed longtime third baseman Alex Bregman elect free company final month, leaving them with holes at each infield corners together with room to enhance on the outfield grass and within the beginning rotation. RosterResource notes that the membership is already on the hook for a projected $215M payroll in 2025, simply $20M beneath their Opening Day payroll in 2024 and simply $29M beneath their end-of-season payroll this previous 12 months.
With such a decent price range, it’s simple to think about 2024 being the tip of Bregman’s tenure in Houston. That’s not one thing the Astros have been keen to concede thus far, nonetheless, as they’ve reportedly made a suggestion to Bregman since he reached free company. The specifics of that provide aren’t completely clear, however subsequent reporting has advised there could also be a niche between the perimeters because the Astros hope to retain Bregman on a deal within the vary of six years and $156M whereas Bregman hopes to land a deal price at the least $200M. The uncertainty surrounding Bregman has led the Astros to think about potential fallback choices, together with first baseman
Christian Walker and infielder Jorge Polanco, although it’s not arduous to think about Walker himself commanding an AAV that might land exterior of the Astros’ consolation zone.
Whether or not it’s in service of a extra strong pursuit of Bregman or to extend their flexibility within the occasion he indicators elsewhere, it makes loads of sense for the Astros to think about dealing Pressly this winter. The 36-year-old hurler is due $14M within the remaining 12 months of his contract following a stable however unspectacular 2024 season the place he pitched to a 3.49 ERA and three.10 FIP in a late-inning function after being bumped from the nearer function by the membership’s deal for Josh Hader final winter. Pressly’s outcomes remained stable, however his peripheral numbers took a step again as his 23.8% strikeout price was his worst since 2016 whereas his 7.4% stroll price was his worst in a 162-game season since 2018.
Whereas Pressly is clearly nonetheless a top quality reliever, he’d be unlikely to obtain a $14M AAV on the open market forward of his age-36 season this winter. That lack of clear commerce worth might make a commerce troublesome for the Astros to drag off, and any commerce talks determine to be additional difficult by the truth that Pressly has full no-trade safety as a participant with 10 years of service time and 5 consecutive years together with his present membership. Meaning Pressly must approve a commerce with a purpose to be moved, and there’s no assure that the Dallas native who has beforehand signed a number of contract extensions with the Astros could be keen on leaving Houston.
These obstacles are vital, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Pressly stay in an Astros uniform subsequent 12 months due to them. They actually don’t essentially imply {that a} deal is inconceivable, nonetheless. It’s at the least possible that Pressly might have curiosity in being traded to a membership that may be keen to make use of him within the ninth-inning after he racked up 102 saves in 118 probabilities (86.4% conversion price) throughout his 4 years within the function with Houston. The Cubs, Purple Sox and Phillies are all amongst groups that might be out there for assist in the ninth inning this winter, and Nightengale means that Philadelphia might have specific curiosity in Pressly’s companies.
Nightengale goes on to invest {that a} deal involving Pressly and Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm might make sense for each golf equipment if the Astros fail to land Bregman, although it’s price noting that Bohm figures to have extra worth on the commerce market than Pressly, so a straight one-for-one swap appears unlikely. In the meantime, Chicago is understood to have curiosity in dealing Cody Bellinger, and Houston has reportedly checked in on Bellinger this winter. That makes a swap involving Bellinger and Pressly at the least a theoretical match between the 2 sides, although it’s unclear if discussions between the Cubs and Astros about Bellinger even concerned different names a lot much less Pressly particularly.
