The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs made a trade on Sunday that could have far-reaching ramifications.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Astros are sending reliever Ryan Pressly and cash considerations to the Cubs. In exchange, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reported that minor league pitcher Juan Bello will head to the Astros.
This is the second trade the Cubs and Astros made this offseason. The Cubs acquired outfielder Kyle Tucker in the middle of December, sending infielders Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith and pitcher Hayden Wesneski to Houston.
Pressly had emerged as one of the better relievers in the game since joining the Astros. The two-time All-Star posted a respectable 3.49 ERA and a 1.341 WHiP in his 56.2 innings, striking out 58 batters with 18 walks. Pressly, whose 106 saves are the fifth most since the start of the 2020 season, is presumed to take over as the Cubs’ closer in 2025.
This trade could also lead to a domino effect. Bob Nightengale from USA Today reported that trading Pressly leaves the door open for third baseman Alex Bregman to return to Houston. The Astros’ six-year, $156M offer is reportedly still on the table as Bregman remains a free agent.
Should Bregman return to Houston, another market could open. The Cardinals have been openly attempting to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado in an attempt to pare down their payroll. While several teams reportedly had interest in Arenado, that remains on the back burner while Bregman is available.
There is also a matter of how much of Arenado’s salary the Cardinals would be willing to pick up; they are on the hook for $60M of the remaining $72M on his contract.
