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Last winter, the Houston Astros' biggest acquisition was landing relief pitcher Josh Hader. The Astros agreed to terms on a five-year, $95 million deal that made Hader the richest reliever in Major League Baseball history.
Fast-forward to this offseason, and the Astros are now looking to offload one of their most expensive relievers. No, Hader isn't going anywhere, but according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Astros have had internal discussions about trading right-hander Ryan Pressly.
Astros Rumors: Houston already exploring trade for veteran reliever Ryan Pressly to shed payroll
Pressly triggered a vesting option in his contract after hitting certain marks in 2024. The veteran will now take home a salary of $14 million in 2025. With Houston looking to secure a long-term deal with third baseman Alex Bregman and while also addressing other areas of concern, it shouldn't be shocking to hear Pressly's name tossed out as a potential trade chip.
With Hader and Bryan Abreu on the roster, Pressly has become expendable. The 34-year-old has a strong record of being a top-shelf closer in the league, and prior to signing Hader, Pressly posted three straight seasons with 25 or more saves and a 2.94 ERA. This past season, in a new and unfamiliar role, Pressly still posted a 3.49 ERA in 59 appearances out of the Houston bullpen.
Pressly does, however, have a full no-trade clause, so he'd be in control of where he'd eventually land if the Astros decide to follow through and trade him this offseason. Pressly is a Dallas native, but there's no way Houston will trade him to their AL West rival, the Texas Rangers.
Still, any team looking for a closer or setup man heading into next season could definitely see the appeal in bringing Pressly into the fold. Knowing that this is more of a salary dump, the acquiring team may be able to lessen the return Houston could hope to receive if it helps give Pressly's salary off the books.
Pressly has been a stalwart in Houston's bullpen for quite some time, but it's apparent that the Astros are ready to move on. No matter the future, Astros fans will never forget Pressly's postseason heroics during Houston's march to the 2022 World Series championship.