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The Chicago Cubs still need a closer — the Houston Astros have two on their roster. Might the two teams match up for their second swap of the winter?
Chicago appears poised to challenge for the top spot in the National League Central and have made several moves this winter — as the team’s fans hope more are to come.
Shadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of the Athletic project current Astros’ set-up man Ryan Pressly as a prime target for the Cubs to make a move for to shore up the back of their bullpen now that Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates were swallowed up by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports has noted that the Astros are wanting to trade former closer Ryan Pressly this offseason. Pressly, who lost his full-time closer’s role when Houston acquired Josh Hader, has been serving as the set-up man in Space City ever since.
However, he earned the title of “proven closer” over four seasons as Houston’s primary fireman, and the Astros would like to clear the $14 million owed him in 2025 off their books.
While that amount might be steep for a set-up man, it’s a decent price for a closer. He is set to be a free agent next winter, so the financial risk for any team acquiring him is low.
Even if he were just a “rental” for 2025, Pressly likely would not cost the Cubs much in terms of a trade and could provide the Northsiders a reliable arm to finish off games — the kind that the team has not had in several seasons.
According to FanGraphs, unproven Porter Hodge is listed as the Cubs’ projected closer in 2025. While the 23-year-old logged a 1.88 ERA and nine saves last season, would Chicago entrust the back end of its bullpen to someone so young?
Bringing in Pressly for one season would give the Cubs time to mature Hodge before possibly handing the save keys to him in future seasons.
More MLB: Could Dodgers be reuniting with 4-time All-Star this winter?
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With the recent news that free agent pitchers Robbie Ray and Tyler Chatwood have both signed with new teams, the market for starting pitchers is starting to thin out. However, there is still one intriguing option available for teams in need of rotation help: 2-time All-Star pitcher, Marcus Stroman.
Stroman, who has spent the last few seasons with the New York Mets, is coming off a solid year in which he posted a 3.02 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 33 starts. The 30-year-old right-hander has proven to be a reliable and durable arm, averaging over 150 innings pitched per season over his 8-year career.
The Chicago Cubs, who are in need of starting pitching depth after losing both Kyle Hendricks and Alec Mills to trades this offseason, could be a potential landing spot for Stroman. The Cubs have a solid core of position players and adding a proven arm like Stroman could help bolster their rotation and make them competitive in the NL Central.
While Stroman may come with a higher price tag than some of the other free agent pitchers on the market, his track record of success and All-Star pedigree could make him worth the investment for a team like the Cubs. It will be interesting to see if Chicago decides to make a move for Stroman as they look to compete in the 2022 season.
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