RYAN PRESSLY NEWS

Twins pick up $1.5 million option on reliever Jorge Alcala for next season

The Minnesota Twins have exercised their $1.5 million club option for reliever Jorge Alcala

NOVEMBER 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gritty Tigers close out playoff sweep of Astros with 5-2 victory in Game 2 of Wild Card Series

Andy Ibáñez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in Detroit’s four-run eighth inning, and the Tigers swept the Houston Astros with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Serie...

OCTOBER 2 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Earns fourth save Pressly pitched 1.2 scoreless innings while allowing two hits to earn the save Saturday against the Angels.

Impact Pressly entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning. He allowed a single to the first batter he faced but still managed to escape the frame with a one-run lead. The ninth inning was less adventurous for Pressly, and he picked up his fourth save. Josh Hader had pitched three times in the last four games and in back-to-back contests, leaving him unavailable Saturday.

SEPTEMBER 15 • ROTOWIRE

Verlander gets 1st win since May as Astros beat Angels 5-3

Justin Verlander picked up his first win since returning from a neck injury and Yordan Alvarez hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning as the Houston Astros defeated the Los An...

SEPTEMBER 15 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Picks up win Pressly (2-3) allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out two to earn the win Thursday against the A's.

Impact Pressly gave up the game-tying home run in the eighth inning and has now allowed an earned run in five of his last 10 appearances. He was bailed out by an Astros rally in the eighth inning and picked up his second win of the season -- both of which have come in his last five outings -- as a result.

SEPTEMBER 13 • ROTOWIRE

Heyward homers, Singleton has 3 hits to help Astros avoid sweep and beat A's 6-3

Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer early and Jon Singleton had three hits, capped by a tiebreaking RBI single in Houston’s four-run eighth inning, and the Astros got a 6-3 win over...

SEPTEMBER 12 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Steps in for save Saturday Pressly earned a save against the Royals on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over one scoreless inning.

Impact Primary closer Josh Hader pitched both Thursday and Friday, so he was unavailable for Saturday's contest. As a result, Houston manager Joe Espada turned to Pressly -- who racked up 90 saves as the team's closer from 2021 to 2023 -- to slam the door shut in the ninth inning against Kansas City. The right-hander allowed a two-out single but had little trouble finishing off KC. Pressly may get an occasional save chance when Hader is held out, but his primary role moving forward will likely be to serve as one of the Astros' top setup men.

SEPTEMBER 1 • ROTOWIRE

Steps in for save Saturday Pressly earned a save against the Royals on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over one scoreless inning.

Impact Primary closer Josh Hader pitched both Thursday and Friday, so he was unavailable for Saturday's contest. As a result, Houston manager Joe Espada turned to Pressly -- who racked up 90 saves as the team's closer from 2021 to 2023 -- to slam the door shut in the ninth inning against Kansas City. The right-hander allowed a two-out single but had little trouble closing things out. Pressly may get an occasional save chance when Hader is held out, but his primary role moving forward will likely be to serve as one of the Astros' top setup men.

SEPTEMBER 1 • ROTOWIRE

Kikuchi strikes out 12 in 7 innings and Astros beat Royals 5-2

Yusei Kikuchi struck out 12 in seven innings to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals

SEPTEMBER 1 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Astros take advantage of two errors in 4-run eighth to beat Royals 6-3

Zach Dezenzo drew a go-ahead bases-loaded walk and the Houston Astros took advantage of two Kansas City errors in a four-run eighth inning to beat the Royals 6-3

AUGUST 30 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Returns from IL The Astros activated Pressly (back) from the 15-day injured list Thursday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Impact Pressly missed just the minimum 15 days while recovering from a lower-back strain. He did not go out on a rehab assignment, but manager Joe Espada is unlikely to shy away from using Pressly in high-leverage spots right away.

AUGUST 29 • ROTOWIRE

Throwing live batting practice Pressly (back) threw a live batting practice session Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Everything seemed to go fine for the veteran reliever. Pressly is not expected to need a rehab assignment and is eligible for activation Thursday, so Monday's live BP session was likely the final hurdle he needed to clear before he's deemed fit to return. He's been out since mid-August with a lower-back strain.

AUGUST 26 • ROTOWIRE

Expected back when first eligible Pressly (back) threw another bullpen session Saturday and is expected to return from the injured list when first eligible, MLB.com reports.

Impact Saturday's activity marked Pressly's second bullpen session since being placed on the injured list. Manager Joe Espada also noted that Pressly won't need a rehab assignment, putting him in line to return Aug. 29.

AUGUST 26 • ROTOWIRE

Throws bullpen session Pressly (back) threw a bullpen session at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Pressly landed on the injured list over the weekend with a lower-back strain but is already ramping up a throwing program. He will be eligible for activation toward the end of the month and would seem to have a shot to be ready at that time if things continue to progress.

AUGUST 21 • ROTOWIRE

Plays catch Monday Astros manager Joe Espada said that Pressly (back) played catch Monday, MLB.com reports.

Impact Pressly was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a lower-back strain, but the fact that he resumed throwing two days later bodes well for his chances of rejoining the Astros when first eligible Aug. 29. Espada said that the right-hander had been nursing the back strain for about two weeks before he was deactivated over the weekend.

AUGUST 20 • ROTOWIRE

Lands on IL with back strain The Astros placed Pressly on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to a lower back strain, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact It's not clear when Pressly sustained the strain, but he has given up one earned run in each of his last four outings. In his 10 outings since the All-Star break, he's recorded six holds and two blown saves with a 4.50 ERA and 1.80 WHIP over 10 innings. Seth Martinez was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move.

AUGUST 17 • ROTOWIRE

Bregman and Peña homer as the AL West-leading Astros beat the Rays 3-2

Alex Bregman and Jeremy Peña homered, and the AL West-leading Houston Astros won their seventh consecutive game by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2

AUGUST 14 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Under contract for 2025 Pressly's $14 million option for 2025 vested during Friday's 3-2 win over the Rays, when he made his 45th appearance of the season, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact Prior to the 2023 season, Pressly inked a two-year, $30 million extension that triggered a $14 million option if he appeared in 50 games in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons or if he appeared in 110 games between both seasons. Since he had already logged 65 appearances in 2023, Pressly was able to reach 110 with his scoreless inning Friday. The 35-year-old right-hander's strikeout rate continues to tumble downward from his peak years as Houston's closer, but he's remained dependable in his first season as a setup man for five-time All-Star Josh Hader. After a bumpy March and April, Pressly has settled in nicely and has provided a 0.51 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over his last 18 appearances while collecting 12 holds and a save during that stretch.

AUGUST 5 • ROTOWIRE

Tosses another scoreless appearance Pressly struck out one and allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth inning to earn a hold Saturday against the Mets.

Impact Pressly struggled significantly to begin the season, but he's now turned in seven straight scoreless appearances. He's picked up five holds and a save while maintaining a 6:1 K:BB in that span. Even with that stretch, Pressly has a 4.40 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP overall on the campaign.

JUNE 30 • ROTOWIRE

Ronel Blanco throws 7 hitless innings, Jose Altuve homers to lead Astros over Tigers 4-1

Ronel Blanco had the second hitless outing of his brief major league career but was pulled after seven innings as the Houston Astros beat the Detroit Tigers 4-1

JUNE 16 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ronel Blanco throws 7 hitless IP again but Astros' no-hitter bid broken up in 8th

Ronel Blanco nearly had his second no-hitter of 2024, tossing 7 hitless innings against the Tigers on Sunday. The Tigers broke up the no-hit...

JUNE 16

Locks down save Tuesday Pressly struck two in a perfect inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Giants.

Impact Pressly was called upon to close the game with Josh Hader unavailable after working the previous two days. The 35-year-old got Patrick Bailey to fly out before recording back-to-back punchouts to seal the deal. He now has two saves in the last week, though Tuesday's outing also comes on the heels of a blown save Sunday. Despite holding a 5.19 ERA on the year, it seems as though Pressly still has the advantage over Bryan Abreu for save opportunities when Hader is unavailable to pitch.

JUNE 12 • ROTOWIRE

Miranda homers, drives in tiebreaking run to give Twins 4-3 win over Astros

Jose Miranda hit a solo homer in the sixth inning and a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth, helping the Minnesota Twins top the Houston Astros 4-3

JUNE 2 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rodríguez and Rojas drive in runs during 8th-inning rally and Mariners beat Astros 4-2

Julio Rodríguez drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single in the eighth inning after Josh Rojas tied the game with an RBI double and the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston As...

MAY 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Astros get 2-1 win over A's in 10 innings after Blanco ejected early for foreign substance

Victor Caratini hit an RBI single in the 10th inning to lift Houston to a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics after the Astros lost their starting pitcher when Ronel Blanco was ejec...

MAY 15 • ASSOCIATED PRESS