During his introductory press conference on Wednesday, newly acquired Chicago Cubs reliever Ryan Pressly said he is not currently guaranteed the team's closer job.
Pressly told reporters that he would close some games for the team this year but that he will go into Spring Training competing for the ninth-inning job, presumably with 2024 breakout rookie reliever Porter Hodge.
Ryan Pressly was told he will close some games for the Cubs, adding that he's going into camp competing for that 9th inning role. He noted how well Porter Hodge filled the closer role last year and believes they're going to be "pretty dynamic duo" in the backend of the bullpen.
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) January 29, 2025
This confirms that the ninth inning is not yet set in stone like some (myself included) initially thought after the trade.
The Cubs officially announced the Pressly trade on Tuesday, with single-A starting pitcher Juan Bello going to the Houston Astros in exchange for the right-hander and cash. The 36-year-old had to waive his full no-trade clause for the move to be approved, a tough decision since Pressly is a Texas native and his family lives in Houston year-round. He said he was partially motivated to come to Chicago to capitalize on another opportunity to close.
From 2021-2023, Pressly served as Houston's primary closer, garnering a 2.94 ERA and 90 saves in that time frame. He became a setup man in 2024, not because of a decline in his effectiveness but because the team signed Josh Hader to a $95 million deal. According to The Athletic's Astros beat writer Chandler Rome, this move caused a slight rift between Pressly and the Houston front office, which is one of the reasons GM Dana Brown has been shopping him this winter. Pressly also touched on this demotion during his press call on Tuesday.
Pressly on becoming the Astros setup man in '24 after they added Josh Hader to close: "It was tough, you get demoted & then you've got to go out there and be professional and try to lead the right way. ... Best way I could do that & show my teammates (by) how I can carry myself."
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) January 29, 2025
Brown also said Pressly took the demotion relatively well, and they continued to be professionals about the situation. His veteran status, postseason experience and lead-by-example attitude were likely qualities the Cubs found attractive in addition to his on-field abilities. Although Pressly's fastball velocity dipped by a tick in 2024, he was still able to induce elite chase and groundball rates with his plus offspeed pitches.
His 50.9 percent groundball rate from 2024 should bode particularly well with the Cubs infield, which features three excellent defenders in Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch. But the ninth-inning competition should be a fun one to keep an eye on in spring training, as the Cubs may have a few legitimate options for the first time in years.
Will the closer be Pressly, Hodge, or someone else?
Pressly is the front-runner in my eyes just given Hodge's relative lack of experience. And from everything we learned during his press conference, Pressly will be highly motivated to win the job over a guy 13 years his junior.
That being said, Hodge will be a vital member of the Cubs bullpen regardless of who becomes the closer. In 39 games last year, Hodge posted a 1.88 ERA with 52 strikeouts over 43 innings. After a multitude of key pitching injuries, Hodge became the de facto closer down the stretch, locking down nine saves for the Cubs. With Pressly only under contract for one season, Hodge will have a fantastic mentor in 2025 and hopefully be poised for a high-leverage role with the Cubs for years to come.
It's worth noting that even after the Pressly trade, the Cubs are reportedly still in talks with free-agent relievers still on the market. Former Cubs closer David Robertson has pitched lights-out for three straight seasons despite heading into his age-40 season. A reunion has been rumored all offseason, and adding him to the closer competition would make camp even more interesting.