After back-to-back 83-79 finishes, the Chicago Cubs seemed destined to improve their roster this offseason.
While they missed out on top free agents Juan Soto, Max Fried, and Roki Sasaki, Chicago has turned to the trade market to bolster their squad.
In December, the teams agreed to send Houston outfielder and three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker to the Cubs in exchange for third baseman Isaac Parades and a pair of starting pitchers.
On Sunday, the Cubs and Astros reached an agreement on another trade. Houston will send two-time All-Star reliever Ryan Pressly to Chicago in exchange for minor league pitcher Juan Bello.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan had the news first.
The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a trade to acquire closer Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros, pending medical review, sources tell ESPN. Pressly will waive his no-trade clause to Chicago to facilitate the move, and Houston will send money to help cover his $14 million salary.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 26, 2025
Pressly made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Minnesota Twins. He remained with Minnesota until the 2018 Trade Deadline when he was sent to Houston.
In 281 appearances with Minnesota, Pressly sported a 3.75 ERA and struck out 282 hitters. He recorded just one save in his six seasons with the Twins.
Pressly’s first full season in Houston helped the reliever evolve into one of the league’s best. He was named to his first All-Star team, had a 2.32 ERA, and struck out 72 hitters in 54 innings.
He took over the closer role for the Astros in 2020 and never looked back, recording 106 saves in 255 innings and striking out 307 hitters in his six seasons as closer.
It’s unclear if Pressly will be the closer in Chicago. Bullpen issues plagued the Cubs last season, so Pressly may return to his setup man roots as the team looks to add one more reliever via free agency or trade.
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