Camila Sosa
While the Houston Astros have failed to bring in a big-name reinforcement following the departure of star shortstop Carlos Correa, team management has been trying to secure the long-term future and this contract extension is part of that plan. Closer Ryan Pressly signed a two-year contract extension through 2024 that will see him bring in $30 million, which includes a third-year vesting.
Ryan Pressly’s current contract will expire at the end of 2022 and will see him bring in about $10 million — which is $4 million less than he will be paid per year starting in 2023, so the Dallas native will receive a pay bump as the Astros secure the closer’s job for the next few seasons if Ryan Pressly can maintain the level he’s shown so far.
Ryan Pressly began his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins in 2013, but it wasn’t until his trade to the Astros in 2018 that he showed his best. Since his arrival in Houston midway through the 2018 campaign, Pressly records a 2.19 ERA with the Astros in 162.2 total innings pitched.
Without doubt, 2021 was the best year in his career, as he posted a 2.25 ERA and managed to save 26 games out of a possible 28 in 64 appearances on the mound with Houston, which will have made management consider this contract extension. In addition, that performance saw him earn a call to the All-Star Game for the second time in his career, with the first of those occurring in his first full year with the Astros in 2019.
Was it a Good Decision? This is What Ryan Pressly’s Numbers Show
Undoubtedly, management made the right move considering that only big-name Major League closers like Liam Hendricks and Josh Hader had better numbers than Ryan Pressly from 2018. From the start of that season to the present, the Houston closer has posted a 2.48 ERA which is ninth best during that period.
With this, the Astros bullpen looks solid for the upcoming season, with names like Pedro Báez, Phil Maton, Hector Neris, Ryne Stanek, Cristian Javier and many others that will help maintain the work that can be done by a rotation full of young players like Luis García, Jose Urquidy, Framber Valdez as well as more experienced players like Justin Verlander, who signed with the team for one more year, and Lance McCullers Jr. who is expected to return at some point during the campaign after suffering an injury.
The Astros will need all of this roster depth as they fight to make a second consecutive World Series appearance in an American League West division where things could be anyone’s game after the Mariners’ great 2021 campaign, the danger posed by the top-seeded Angels and with a Rangers that have beefed up to be more competitive. .
