According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Cubs are reportedly “on the verge” of acquiring closer Ryan Pressly from the Astros. However, Pressly has a full no-trade clause, which means he would need to waive it for the trade to happen, and it seems he’s not inclined to do so for the Cubs at this time.
Astros relief star Ryan Pressly, seriously pursued by three teams, has a full no-trade clause and has informed the Astros that he’s not looking to go East or West. So that’s a ‘no’ for the Blue Jays, one of those teams. He hasn’t made a decision either way regarding the Cubs, who are making an effort,” tweeted Jon Heyman of the New York Post on Friday morning.
Last season, Pressly lost his position as the closer for the Astros after Josh Hader joined the team. He posted a 3.49 ERA over 56.2 innings of work, and his 58 strikeouts were the fewest he had recorded in a full season in which he threw at least 50 innings.
While he remains a reliable reliever, the Astros are seeking to trade him in order to reduce payroll. The right-handed pitcher is expected to earn $14 million in the 2025 season, a deal agreed upon with the assumption that he would serve as the closer.
Given that he is 36 years old, it makes sense for the Astros to consider trading him in order to revamp their bullpen with younger talent. The Cubs would greatly benefit from acquiring Pressly, especially after losing out on Tanner Scott, who signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the likelihood is growing that Pressly will not waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade with the Cubs, which means they will need to explore other options in the market.
With Spring Training just a month away, available choices will be taken off the market quickly, so the Cubs must act with urgency during this critical final stretch of the offseason.
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