Two-time All-Star and former Houston Astros star Ryan Pressly is now with the Chicago Cubs. While it’s just been a few days since Ryan Pressly waived off his no-trade clause, he seems visibly disappointed with the departure from the Houston Astros. The Cubs traded the minor league pitcher Juan Bellow for Pressly, and they will pay $8.5 million of his $14 million salary for 2025 in the last year of his contract.

Ryan Pressly will be in the role of a closer with the Chicago Cubs, which will happen for the first time since 2020. Pressly was named an All-Star in 2019 and 2021 due to his stellar record with the Astros, which includes 3.49 ERA, 114 ERA+, and 1.34 WHIP. However, his nod to abandon the no-trade option reflects a major transition in his career and the dynamics of both the Cubs and the Astros. On the other hand, the Astros seem quite happy with the MLB prospect Juan Bello.

Ryan Pressly has his say on the departure from the Houston Astros

With the Houston Astros trying to work with their limited payroll for some time, trading their All-Star Ryan Pressly freed some space for the organization. But for Ryan, it’s a dream come true since he grew up watching the pitchers dominate at Wrigley Field, and he always wanted to be a part of it. Now, given the chance he has, he would like to move into the closer role while having a full no-trade clause with an extra pay to cover the difference in taxes between the two clubs.

However, according to a post on X by MLB.com reporter Brian McTaggart, Ryan said, “The fans are unbelievable, and just being here and experiencing the winning and championships we went through and all the close relationships we had, I’m forever grateful for that. Houston will always have a really, really special place in my heart. I loved being here; I loved my time here; it’s a great organization. It’s unfortunate I wasn’t able to retire with the Astros, but it’s one of those things where it’s business.” He clearly expressed disappointment over his Astros’ exit, mentioning how he enjoyed playing with them.

However, Pressly’s family moved to Houston, where his wife used to live, but now, given that the Chicago Cubs signed him, he had to make some changes to his plan. Ryan has now joined Kyle Tucker, who has also been traded to Chicago by the Astros. Ever since the Chicago Cubs went 83-79 and finished second in the 2024 NL Central, they had been searching for a bullpen.

So, now they have an elite closer, who would provide a major boost to the bullpen as compared to the last season. Being a key performer for the Astros with a career-high 33 saves and 2.98 ERA during the regular season, he would like to leave a significant mark on his new team as well. On the other hand, the Astros acquire the new prospect Juan Bello in exchange for Pressly.

The Astros look quite happy with their new prospect Juan Bello

The Houston Astros traded their ace pitcher, Ryan Pressly, to clear the payroll and to make some significant moves in the future. While the Astros still need to cover the $5.5 million of his $14 million contract, this move signals their intent to bring young talents into the team. The 20-year-old Juan Bello made 22 starts for the Class A Myrneedch in the Cubs farm system. making a 4-5 record and posting a 3.21 ERA. He even managed 91 strikeouts in the 89.2 innings he pitched while ensuring the opponent had a maximum of.225 batting average. But that’s not all!

Juan Bello has also pitched multiple times across the three seasons in the Cubs minor league system after he signed with the Chicago as an international free agent in 2022. Additionally, Bello can mix and match four average pitchers with better control thanks to his flatter approach angle and low three-quarter arm slot. Even though it might help the Astros when they play their opponents, Juan needs to get stronger and stay healthy so that he can sustain the workload for the entire season going forward.

So, do you think the Astros made the right call to trade Ryan Pressly? Let us know in the comment section below.