MLB Insider 'Can See' Houston Astros Shipping Out Star Pitcher

Despite the sentiment the Houston Astros aren't going to be sellers at the trade deadline, one MLB insider thinks they could ship out one of their star pitchers.

Mar 28, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (55) and catcher Yainer Diaz (21) react after a play during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

It feels like the Houston Astros might be waking up a little bit.

Winners of two in a row, they are now 6-4 over their last 10 games and find themselves only 5.5 out of first place in their division and 3.5 back of the third Wild Card spot.

They are firmly in striking distance, especially with six games remaining this month against the lowly Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies.

That gives them plenty of time to get back into the playoff picture before July when the Astros' front office has 30 days to figure out what they want to do at the trade deadline.

While everyone has speculated Houston could do the unthinkable and actually become sellers, general manager Dana Brown has repeatedly stated they will not trade away assets and could actually become buyers.

He firmly believes they'll make the playoffs, and based on the pedigree of players in the clubhouse, that is not a stretch by any means.

Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Framber Valdez have been the names thrown around as potential trade chips they could sell if they do fall out of the postseason race before July 30, but MLB insider Jon Heyman doesn't think those players are going anywhere.

However, there is someone on this roster he can see the Astros shipping out.

"[Ryan] Pressly's the one guy I can see them trading. Setting up for them, hasn't done as well as he did as a closer. People know he's a great closer. I think they could get a lot for him if they did trade Pressly," Heyman says.

That would certainly be interesting.

The fact of the matter is that Ryan Pressly has not been able to mesh into his new setup role like Houston would have liked.

After having never posted an ERA above 4.00 as a member of the Astros, he sits at 4.81 on the year and has blown four out of his five save opportunities when he's been given the chance to close games.

Houston signed Josh Hader this offseason to a record-setting five-year, $95 million deal that indicates he's going to be the guy out of the backend of their bullpen going forward.

That makes Pressly expendable, especially with how he's played.

Of course, contending teams are rarely in the business of trading away bullpen arms, especially someone with the history and talent that this right-hander has, but if they are looking to recuperate assets and don't think Pressly can return to the form he's shown during his tenure, they might get the best of both worlds by trading away the veteran.

Not only could they be buyers at the deadline, getting more starting pitching to replace the injured Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy, but they could also get something back in return from a bullpen-needy team by shipping out the struggling Pressly.

That certainly is a stretch.

However, he could hit the open market after this year, seeing as he has a mutual option to return in 2025.

Like Heyman suggested, they could potentially land a haul from a team looking for a closer.

Again, this is not likely to happen, but maybe it should be something Brown and his front office consider as they look to replenish their talent-strapped farm system.