Cubs have to play the waiting game to see if Ryan Pressly is heading to Chicago

The Chicago Cubs may be beneficiaries of a potential Alex Bregman-Houston Astros reunion. As the reigning AL West champions work to retain their longtime star infielder, they're trying to cut costs elsewhere, specifically in the bullpen.

MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reported that the Cubs and Astros are "on the verge" of striking a deal that sends Ryan Pressly from Houston to Chicago. However, the agreement hasn't become official because the veteran reliever hasn't lifted his no-trade clause.

In other words, Pressly holds the cards in this situation, regardless of the Cubs and Astros' ostensibly productive and successful negotiations. Houston can't ship the two-time All-Star elsewhere without his approval. But he seems hesitant to do so (in this situation), which puts Chicago in an unenviable position.

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Cubs have to play the waiting game to see if Ryan Pressly is heading to Chicago

Chicago has been scouring the market for a closer. They were runner-ups in the Tanner Scott sweepstakes before he ultimately joined the Los Angeles Dodgers Death Star. The Cubs have also been connected to Carlos Estevez, who has his fair share of red flags. Meanwhile, Pressly presents the club with a solid option -- if he's willing to go to the Windy City.

Despite ceding his role as the game-ender in Houston to Josh Hader in 2024, Pressly still ranks sixth in the MLB in saves since 2021. The right-hander is a proven commodity and former World Series champion. His combination of pedigree and experience is appealing, especially for a Cubs squad that spent most of last season without a legitimate closer.

Alas, the Cubs must exercise patience and hope Pressly approves the team's swap with the Astros. Otherwise, Chicago will have to pivot accordingly and conceivably settle for a worse alternative, considering how late in the offseason it is.

Pressly handled his demotion this past campaign admirably. He went 2-3 with a 3.49 ERA, 1.341 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.