Houston Astros star closer Josh Hader is undergoing tests on his left shoulder after reporting discomfort on Monday afternoon. And if the left-hander is forced to miss any time, it would deal a devastating blow to one of the best bullpens in the American League.
Especially with the trade deadline in the rearview mirror. There are veteran options available, such as the team's former All-Star reliever Ryan Pressly. But Pressly is not expected to be an option after being designated for assignment and released by the Chicago Cubs.
After the Astros traded Pressly this offseason, general manager Dana Brown said the team's relationship with Pressly was “fractured.” It started when the team signed Hader in the previous offseason to supplant the veteran righty as the team's closer, with Brown later admitting that it “wasn’t the same as when we first met.” It’s not believed that the Astros are even interested in Pressly, who has drawn interest from multiple teams while also mulling the possibility of retirement, as first reported by Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Astros aren't even considering Ryan Pressly reunion after Josh Hader injury news
If the Astros were to be without Hader for any time, Bryan Abreu would be the obvious in-house replacement. But even then, while Abreu is talented, he’s no Hader. The lefty had converted 28 of 29 save opportunities and has only allowed a run in nine of his 48 appearances this season. He’s been dominant, the reliever that Houston expected when it signed him to a five-year, $95 million contract.
It’s possible that a reliever or two is placed on waivers by teams that have fallen out of postseason contention, similar to what the Los Angeles Angels with Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez, among others, after their failed playoff push back in 2023. But there are no guarantees that happens, especially with postseason races being as tightly contested as they are.
So yes, while the need is certainly there for Pressly — and it would be a storybook ending for the Texas native to finish his career with the team he spent seven seasons with — it’s highly unlikely he ends up in Houston. And if this is indeed it for Pressly, he’ll end his career with a 3.33 ERA, 721 strikeouts and 117 saves, most of which came during a dominant stretch with the Astros in which he posted a 2.81 ERA and 411 strikeouts in 333 innings.