The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs are at it again—trading the $30 million relief pitcher, Ryan Pressly, with the fans speculating about the winner of the deal. This massive trade between the two clubs indicates a shift in strategy for the Astros, who are trying to bring some new players into their roster. While Ryan will need to waive off the no-trade clause in that case, MLB insider Jon Heyman confirmed on January 27 that Pressly will receive a bonus to cover any tax difference.

Ryan Pressly, now 36, has been a core part of the Houston Astros since 2018. He posted a 3.49 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 114 ERA+, having one of the best spin rates in Major League Baseball, which made him an All-Star in 2019 and 2021. While a majority of the teams are reportedly in pursuit of him, the trade talks between the Astros and Cubs have divided the fans. 

In exchange for Ryan Pressly and Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, the Astros get Isaac Paredes, Cam Smith, Juan Bello, and Hayden Wesneski, which is a clear indication of strategic moves to succeed in the upcoming games. Jon Heyman posted on his X handle, “Assuming the trade goes through, Pressly will be getting an assignment bonus to cover the tax difference plus a new full no trade.” Jon replied back to his earlier post that stated Pressley waiving off the no-trade clause when going to the Cubs; however, the Astros are awaiting medicals.

So, now Ryan Pressly will be getting a new and full no-trade clause with an added bonus amount that can cover the difference in taxes in the clubs. Meanwhile, another MLB insider, Bob Nightengale, said that the Chicago Cubs will need to pay him $8.5 million of the $14 million deal and give away their pitcher Juan Bello for Presly. Although the deal between the two clubs is not finalized yet, Ryan Pressly’s family lives in Houston, which is devoid of state taxes, and thus, he isn’t much interested in joining any East or West Coast team. Meanwhile, fans cannot keep calm as they share their interest in knowing which team finally wins the battle for Pressly.

Fans have diverse reactions to the Chicago Cubs’ trade

Fans have expressed their thoughts, speculating about the ideal place for Ryan Pressly to join the Chicago Cubs, even though they are still waiting for him to join the team. One user’s comment hoped for a return of Ryan Pressly to the Astros, asking, “Any word on the return?” However, that doesn’t seem probable given that the Astros are keen to bring their All-Star Alex Bregman to their roster. Bregman remains a free agent, and he is looking for a long-term contract—a six-year, $200 million deal—the Astros offered him a $156 million deal that he rejected. However, due to his dwindling sweepstakes, there are chances of his return, which indicates an unlikely reunion between Pressly and the Astros.

In response to Jon Heyman’s post, another X user commented, “Astros in shambles.”. Based on his reaction, the Astros may lose a good pitcher like him, and there will be a gap in their lineup. However, the Astros will also be able to add some new players and even retain Alex Bregman if they trade Pressly to the Chicago Cubs. One ardent fan wrote, “To be clear, the Astros are making rationale bets—Paredes is a cost-controllable 3B/2B whose short porch approach might play up (gamble is method of run production). Wesneski in a wipeout role in relief may work (gamble is lefty struggles). Smith is talented but not above AA.”

Based on this response, it is clear that many fans are unhappy with the new players that the Astros will get, given that Cam Smith is not better than AA; however, they are hopeful that Paredes, as a second or third baseman, and Wesneski, as a relief, might work just fine. Nevertheless, responding to Bob Nightengale’s post on the trade, a curious fan conducted a poll seeking responses from others, asking, “Who won this trade?” Based on 833 votes till now, the majority considers the Cubs winning, with 68.8% voting in favor compared to a mere 31.2% for the Astros.

While many of the fans seem okay with the trade, one user was dissatisfied with the Astros’ call if they are unable to get Alex Bregman. They wrote, “Very interesting! If they don’t get Bregman, I don’t get it,” highlighting how the deal doesn’t make sense if they do not get a player of Bregman’s caliber. The Astros are looking to trade Pressly so that they can accommodate Bregman alongside the other new players, so given that the Bregman deal is not finalized yet, losing Pressly may be wrong. However, another fan seems quite happy with the trade, as he said, “Not a crazy return. I like this deal a lot for the Cubs!”

The Chicago Cubs will have to pay $8.5 million for Pressly in his $14 million contract and trade their pitcher Juan Bello, who posted a 3.21 ERA with 91 strikeouts and made 28 walks. However, Pressly’s impressive record with the Astros makes the fans speculate some great displays from the Cubs. So, what do you think of this trade? Did the Cubs get what they wanted, or did the Astros make the right call? Let us know in the comment section below.