Houston Astros Says Relationship With Recently-Traded Star Was 'Fractured'
![Jul 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (55) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Jul 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (55) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3760,h_2115,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_astros/01jjqp3b4c1xf7b25qad.jpg)
The Houston Astros have found a way to keep themselves in the headlines throughout the offseason.
From having the top free agent available in star third baseman Alex Bregman and a constant swinging pendulum as to whether or not they will bring him back to the biggest trade of the offseason in dealing away Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, it has been a busy winter.
The Astros made some more hot stove fireworks last week when they made a second trade with the Cubs and sent two-time All-Star closer Ryan Pressly to Chicago in what was effectively a salary dump.
Pressly had to cease the closer role ahead of the 2024 season when Houston brought in five-time All-Star and one of the best closers in baseball, Josh Hader, on a massive contract a year ago, forcing Pressly into a setup role, something he was not happy about.
One year later, Pressly chose to accept a trade - he had a full no-trade clause - to the Cubs on the condition that he would get to be the team's closer.
Astros general manager Dana Brown spoke about the trade on Tuesday and shed some light on how bringing in Hader changed his relationship with Pressly, using the word "fractured" to describe how it impacted things.
"Any time you take a major-league player out of a role where they feel comfortable, it’s going to fracture your relationship some," Brown said via Chandler Rome of The Athletic. “I think we continued to communicate. He was a true professional and I kept it real as a true professional myself. Ultimately, I wouldn’t say [the relationship] was the same as when we first met, but I think there was some frustration, which I totally understand from a competitor."
Pressly's numbers had started to decline in 2023, and when Hader became available, Brown did not hesitate to bring him in figuring it would strengthen the bullpen as a whole. But Hader himself regressed a bit from his sensational standard by producing a 3.80 ERA.
Pressly being moved out of the closer role and replaced with someone who did not even perform that well likely made the situation even more difficult between Brown and the star reliever.
Given Pressly had spent the last six-and-a-half seasons with Houston and been apart of three trips to the World Series including the 2022 victory, the decision to leave the Astros could not have come easy to him.
But it also reflects just how important having the ball in his hand at the end of the game is to him.
At 36 years old, Pressly instead is choosing to play for just his third team in what will be 13 years instead of staying in Houston and finishing out his career in the place where he's become comfortable.
It's unfortunate to hear a bonafide attempt to make the team better fractured the relationship between Pressly and Brown, but by the sounds of it, this is simply a case of an athlete wanting to prove he's still at his best.