The Cubs have added the veteran, back-end bullpen arm they’ve been after this offseason. 

And he comes with a World Series pedigree. 

The team has acquired two-time All-Star closer Ryan Pressly from Houston, according to reports. Juan Bello, a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher who posted a 3.21 ERA in 22 games with Class-A Myrtle Beach in 2024, is headed back to Houston, a source confirmed to Marquee Sports Network.

The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reported that Houston was sending cash to Chicago offset Pressly’s salary. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported Sunday night that the Cubs are picking up $8.5 million of his $14 million contract.

Multiple outlets reported a deal had been agreed upon on Friday, but Pressly had a no-trade clause due to his 10-and-5 rights — he has 10 years of major league service time and the last five with Houston and had not OK’ed the deal — and needed to give the go-ahead. The Athletic’s Rome cited sources in saying Pressly would accept a trade to Chicago.

[What Cubs bullpen looks like with Ryan Pressly in the mix]

It’s the second big trade between the clubs this offseason — last month the Cubs acquired All-Star slugger Kyle Tucker from Houston for a package that included third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski and 2024 1st-round pick Cam Smith. 

Pressly comes to the Cubs with an impressive resumé — one that fills a void in the Cubs bullpen. In 7 years with the Astros, the righty has posted a 2.81 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP with 111 saves. He was Houston’s closer when they won the World Series in 2022. In 2024, Pressly had a 3.49 ERA in 56.2 innings across 59 games with 4 saves and 25 holds. 

He doesn’t come to the Cubs without concerns, though.

The righty saw his strikeout rate dip each of the last two seasons — it was at a career-high 35.7% in 2022, then 27.6% in 2023 and 23.8% last season. Pressly’s WHIP spiked from 0.89 in 2022 to 1.07 in 2023 and 1.34 last year and opponents hit .259 against him in 2024, compared to .178 in 2022. His velocity has dipped, too. In 2021, his four-seam fastball averaged 95.2 mph and sat around 94 mph in 2022 and 2023. Last year, it dropped to 93.8 mph.

The Cubs will hope returning to a closer role and a new situation, might have him return to his previous form.

[What comes next for the Cubs this offseason?]

Pressly signed a 3-year, $42 million contract ahead of the 2023 season that included that no-trade clause. Last season, the Astros added another All-Star closer to their roster, signing lefty Josh Hader to a 5-year, $95 million contract and relegating Pressly to setup duties. 

The Astros have been teetering around the competitive balance tax — set at $241 million — and have made no secret their desire to stay under that number. That was what had made Tucker available to the Cubs. Now, the Astros desire to shed payroll has been a benefit to the Cubs again. 

Moving part of Pressly’s contract trims the Astros’ budget and gives the Cubs a bonafide, backend arm. 

[Cubs add veteran depth in Jon Berti to their infield]

The Cubs have bolstered their bullpen this offseason by adding volume, but they’ve been in search of a veteran, closer-type arm to round out their group. Before Pressly’s addition, Porter Hodge had the most saves (9) of any pitcher on the Cubs’ 40-man roster after a breakout rookie campaign. 

“I think quality relievers,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said at Cubs Convention last weekend when asked about a closer. “Sometimes those guys have closed, sometimes they haven’t. But it never hurts, but I don’t think it’s a prerequisite.”

With Spring Training just a couple of weeks away, the Cubs have a strong option to be their closer to round out their bullpen.