HOUSTON – The trade of veteran relief pitcher Ryan Pressly to the Cubs, a move which was made official Tuesday, was strictly a baseball decision, said Astros general manager Dana Brown while admitting his relationship with the team’s all-time postseason saves leader had become fractured.
The Astros sent Pressly to the Cubs along with $5.5 million, according to a source, in exchange for Minor League right-hander Juan Bello. The money will cover some of the $14 million Pressly – who waived a no-trade clause – is set to make this season in his final year before hitting free agency and allows the Astros to trim $8.5 million off their payroll with eyes on making more moves.
TRADE DETAILS
Astros receive: Minor League RHP Juan Bello
Cubs receive: RHP Ryan Pressly, $5.5 million
Brown said the club is having internal conversations about bringing back free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, who still has a six-year, $156 million offer on the table from Houston. Brown said the team would ideally like to add a left-handed bat and continues to have interest in free-agent infielder Jorge Polanco, a switch-hitter.
What happened with Pressly?
Last year, the Astros signed free agent closer Josh Hader to a five-year, $95 million contract, which bumped Pressly from the closer role he had held the previous four seasons. Pressly took the move in stride publicly, but Brown admitted their relationship hasn’t been the same since. Brown said that had nothing to do with Tuesday’s trade.
“I think the relationship took a slightly different turn,” he said. “Any time you take a Major League player out of a role where they feel comfortable, it kind of fractures your relationship some. I think we continue to communicate. He's a true professional and I kept it real as a true professional myself, and so ultimately, I wouldn't say it was the same as when we first met.
“There was some frustration, which I would totally understand from a competitor. You're moving a guy at a position who felt like he didn't deserve to lose his job because you acquired another elite closer like Hader. The whole purpose in doing all that was to really lock down the back end, but I know in his heart of hearts, he wanted to close.”
What move could be next?
Brown reiterated that adding a left-handed bat to Houston’s right-handed-heavy lineup is a priority, but admitted a reunion with Bregman remains on the table. Brown said Scott Boras, Bregman’s agent, texted him earlier Tuesday and he owed him a phone call.
“We've talked internally about [Bregman] still being available, and so we are definitely having conversations within our front office,” Brown said. “We’re taking a deep look at what it would look like if we acquired him and how would it look for us financially. Does it make sense to do it? We know that he's a talented player. We'd love to have him, but would mostly say it's all internal conversations as to what we would like to do.”
Brown said any additions to the lineup, especially an infielder like Bregman or Polanco, would mean Jose Altuve would get a look in left field. Altuve said Saturday he would be willing to move positions if it meant Bregman was returning in 2025.
“I think Jose will get some reps at second and also in left,” Brown said. “We're trying to create some versatility in the lineup, and that would give us some freedom and flexibility to potentially make another move, and so we're not taking anything off the table. We're weighing all the options.
“We'll see what it looks like in left field with the understanding that he's going to play some second base or be at second base quite often, depending on what the coaching staff comes up with.”
The book on Bello
Bello, 20, made 22 starts for Single-A Myrtle Beach in the Cubs’ system last season, posting a 4-5 record and a 3.21 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 89 2/3 innings. He was signed as an international free agent from Colombia in 2022.
“When you get an opportunity to acquire a young arm like Juan Bello, it's just one of those opportunities that locks down starters toward the future,” Brown said. “This guy's got a chance to be really good. He throws a lot of strikes, he can mix his pitches, there's some upside to velocity. As we compete in the present, we're also building for the future.”