Looking at fallback bullpen options if Ryan Pressly vetoes a trade to the Cubs

Ryan Pressly, a Dallas, TX native, has spent the last seven years of his MLB career with the Houston Astros. Now, heading into his age-36 season, the veteran right-hander gets to decide whether he'll return for an eighth go-round in the Astros' bullpen or if he'll approve a trade to the Chicago Cubs, where he'll get a chance to close again.

Pressly anchored the ninth-inning in Houston from 2020 to 2023 before getting bumped from the role when GM Dana Brown brought in Josh Hader on the second-largest deal ever given to a reliever ahead of the 2024 season. Pressly was lights-out during his stint as the Astros' closer, making more than 200 appearances with 102 saves, a strikeout rate regularly north of 30 percent and a 2.63 FIP.

He didn't look like quite the same pitcher as Hader's setup man in 2024, with a strikeout rate that fell to just over 23 percent and an average fastball velocity that checked in below 94 MPH for the first time in his career. Still, he brings a ton of valuable experience, an impressive resume and a bulldog mentality to the table - and would check a lot of boxes for a Cubs team that lacks a stable of established relievers, especially in the late innings.

But given where he's at in his career and the fact he's got young children, there's a real chance Pressly torpedoes the deal and plays out the last year of his deal in Houston. If that happens, Jed Hoyer and the Cubs will have to pivot to backup plans quickly because the market is starting to thin and this is one area of the roster Chicago can't ignore.

Cubs Rumors: Ryan Pressly trade, a potential David Robertson reunion among possible bullpen solutions as offseason winds down

The Cubs have talked with David Robertson, who represents himself in negotiations, about a potential reunion. Like Pressly, he would slot into the closer's role if he returned. Robertson, who turns 40 in April, continues to defy Father Time, evidenced by a 2.82 ERA since the start of the 2022 season.

Other names to watch include Carlos Estevez, Kyle Finnegan, Kenley Jansen, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton - and you can't rule out a trade to shore up the late innings, either, with guys like the Padres' Robert Suarez drawing interest from teams. A resolution on Pressly seems likely in the coming days - and once we have some clarity there, the market could move quickly as the Cubs look to shore up the bullpen and avoid the early-season ups-and-downs that have hurt the club the last two years.