The Astros have officially struck a deal to acquire reliever Ryan Pressly from the Twins, as Ken Rosenthal and Robert Murray of The Athletic first reported (Twitter links). Prospects Jorge Alcala and Gilberto Celestino are going to Minnesota in the deal, as first mentioned by Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter).
Pressly, 29, has taken a big step forward this year after showing solid peripherals — but generating only a 4.70 ERA — in his 61 1/3 innings last year. Through 47 2/3 innings in the present campaign, the right-hander is sporting a 3.40 ERA with an eye-opening 13.0 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9.
Better still, Pressly is earning just $1.6MM this year with another season of arbitration eligibility left to go. While the ‘Stros were likely not overly concerned with cost, they obviously valued the additional season of control and surely were not unaware of the fact that it’ll come at a manageable price tag.
Just how things will shake out at the back of the Houston pen remains to be seen. For now, usual closer Ken Giles remains at Triple-A. Despite his increasingly interesting output, Pressly has not recorded any saves this year and only has eight holds. It seems likely, then, that Hector Rondon will remain the top option in the ninth, barring another move or a return to grace for Giles.
Despite his relative lack of late-inning experience, Pressly will represent another weapon for a relief unit that’s already among the best in baseball. Long noted for his impressive spin rate, Pressly has finally put it all together. This year, he’s sporting a dominant 17.9% swinging-strike rate while mixing a slider and curve off of his 96+ mph four-seamer. Much of the bump in the swing-and-miss has come from his slider, though the contact rate on that pitch has trended up over the course of the season.
While the Twins didn’t need to move Pressly, it seems the market interest was enough to force the club’s hand. Whether or not other non-rental assets will be parted with remains to be seen. Clearly, after previously moving Eduardo Escobar, there’ll be more moves to come. Infielder Brian Dozier and relievers Fernando Rodney and Zach Duke seem likeliest to end up on other rosters.
The team has picked up some interesting new assets to go with the youthful pieces added in the deal it completed earlier today. Alcala, who turns 23 tomorrow, is a pure flamethrower who’s still working to refine his secondary offerings. He has turned in 79 1/3 innings of 3.29 ERA ball with 9.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 this year, splitting his time between High-A and Double-A, and graded as Houston’s tenth-best prospect on MLB.com’s most recent list. Celestino checked in at #15 on that ranking and was recently noted by Baseball America as the Astros’ top defensive outfield prospect. The 19-year-old has hit quite well this year at the low-A level, posting a .317/.383/.476 slash with four home runs.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Being in Texas I don’t get to see much of Pressly. Stats seem to be alright though. Does he have closer material?
Yes. He’s always had closer stuff and this year he’s finally getting there.
Yeah, I didn’t realize he threw so hard.
Kaylee I just agree! I’m a lazy t**t.
Given his prepherial stats and what I’ve heard from reported from scouts which say he has three plus pitches. Expect him to go to another level if he embraces the analytics the Astros use like Cole and Verlander did. Guy has closer talent, but then again so does half the Astros Bullpen with Devo, Rodon, McHugh and Peacock.
The AL playoffs are going to be unbelievable.
Hardly knew u. Lots of good bullpens in the playoffs!
super pens. why even need starters anymore
smh
You clearly are going on popularity alone if you dont like this move.
Great pickup. Would like to see Houston add one more arm in the pen in case Will Harris doesnt recover and Peacock continues to slip.
“continues to slip”. I think you mean Sipp…it’s Tony Sipp
Lol Sipp has actually impressed me with his bounce back year.
Elvis has entered the building…oh..sorry wrong pressly
As long as it’s not Alex!!
Maybe they’d like to get Norris for one more go.
Hardest of hard passes on Bud.
I wouldn’t mind if they used him in the concessions stand.
Maybe Latrine Duty…
I’d like to see the Astros add a bat. On paper the offense looks good but something seems a little off compared to last season when watching every game. Tucker hasn’t quite looked ready and Marwin Gonzalez has fallen off a cliff.
wonder if they’d be interested in liriano and Martin from Detroit. adds a familiar pen lefty as insurance for peacock and gives them a bottom of the order OF with some speed and pop (basically what they wanted tucker to be when he came up)
Saw something that McCutchen is available, him or Adam Jones would work as like a generic good veteran centerfielder to stick in a corner for a playoff run.
Speaking of Giants Tony Watson is having a great year and has another cheap year remaining on his deal, the Giants should maybe sell high on him a la Blue Jays with Oh, though the Giants obviously want to complete next year and therefore would still want to have him though the Blue Jays were probably in the same boat, it would be a good chance for Giants to get some ok prospects which they direly need, you can always replace a reliever
IMO better prospects than the O’s got for Britton lol
Alcala has one of the biggest fastballs in the minor leagues. Celestino is a 70 glove in CF, former bonus baby.
Agreed, as an o’s Fan it makes me pretty sad
the extra year of control does mean something but certainly seems a bit heavy
Need to remember that Pressly has an extra year of control. Relatively similar packages, Baltimore did fine.
Extra year of control and no injury issues.
The Orioles waited far too long to utilize Britton to their advantage again.
Seems a bit much (#10 and #15 prospect) for Pressly.
Doesnt really dent the farm much tho for a guy coming into his own with another year of control.
As a Twins fan, I was thinking it was light. Pressly has great stuff and is starting to show it. Plus he has another year of control.
I hope the fangraphs prospect guy is wrong and Alcala isn’t “fastball only” guy because the Twins had that in Jim Hoey and he was terrible.
Twins front office continues to screw up…….
Pressly was maturing due to the work of new pitching coach Gavin Alston. Pressly will continue to get better. His salary is low, and he has another year of control. It seems they could have gotten back more in the offseason or during 2019 as he continues to establish himself.
I’ve said that the Twins FO knew going into this season that they were going into a rebuild, as the last one failed miserably. Both these prospects seem to be at least 3-4 years away from being decent contributors to a ML team…..if they get that far. The Twins FO is just accumulating young bodies…..same as the Sox, Tigers and Royals. Indians own the AL Central for years to come.
Im fine with trading Pressly. I don’t think this is a rebuild. They still have the young core so it’s not like they’re trading them off. If Sano and Buxton continue to fail then it will be tough to compete regardless.
And I don’t think the Twins have rebuilt since the late 90s unless you call signing Pelfrey, Nolasco, Ervin and Hughes types to long contracts as rebuilding which I do not. They did play terribly but they weren’t rebuilding. They were trying to compete and failed miserably which is probably worse than rebuilding.
I think you just overvalued Presley. He’s pretty good, but again the market has corrected itself. I think you were expecting a package for an elite RP, which although Pressly is good he’s not in that tier. The package seems about right. The volatility of RPs plus the fact that he only has one extra year of control means they are selling at his highest value.
With that said I think Celestino is the prize in this package. I think there is obviously risk there, but the upside makes his an interesting prospect.
It’s a good deal for the Twins. Agreed on both points Blue.
It’s definitely selling high. I just think Pressly has the elite stuff more than elite stats so I feel like Houston got the better end of this considering they do pretty well with those types of pitchers.
Celestino does look like he has the potential to be better than a 4th outfielder which is probably all Maciel will be from the Escobar trade. That’s good value, but yeah I was expecting more.
A 29 year old RP with 1.5 years of control isn’t worth very much. But you got 2 top 15 organizational prospects… I will say I am not high on Alcala. But Celestino is a guy who could tip the scales of the trade way into the Twins favor… Pressly will be what? The 7th inning guy for the Astros for 1.5 seasons of all goes well? That isn’t worth much. Unless of course the Astros see something we all don’t, which has happened before.
I do think the Astros see something that others don’t. He’s got a great fastball and curveball with elite spin rates on both (compared to the rest of the league).
He also has Chapman’s swing and miss stuff this year, which is also elite.
Post says they already have a great bullpen but I remember lot of stuff early in season about how there pen stinks, did it get better or was that all bs, I thought the latter at the time because I know they have a bunch of legit guys, or I guess it could be combo of the two insofar as the good pitchers starting pitching well
It was/is entirely based on certain situational meltdowns, a lack of clutch, if you will. Giles, ironically, was the opposite for the most part. Perfect save percentage- with a caveat that he got hit around with some multi-run leads- and struggled mightily outside save situations.
quite a hall for a 7th inning guy
chump change compared to the rest of the farm.
27th in the league in SIERA for relievers. Has a .380 babip. Averaging 96 mph on the fastball.
Advanced stats have him right with Chad Green, David Robertson and Joakim Soria.
The Astros don’t make dumb moves. The only prospect they dealt who has turned into something is Hader… who they actually got for Bud Norris. Well Folty finally has put it together.
The Appel pick was bad. But in reality… you can’t question anything Luhnow does.
They traded Hader because they needed a CF in 2015. They needed a CF because they traded Fowler at the start of the year. They traded Fowler because they needed a 3B. They needed a 3B because they drafted Appel over Bryant.
They’ve done some stupid things they’ve just had the prospect capital to recover from them.
Your logic is pretty off. No one thought the Astros were going to compete in 2015. Fowler was not coming off of a monster season either. They would not have been drafting Bryant to fill a position. This isn’t football.
Which prospects have turned into anything? Because Brett Phillips is a bust, Nottingham was a bust, Santana is back in AAA…?
Don’t care if they thought they’d compete in 2015. That’s hardly the point.
Never said they would’ve drafted Bryant to fill a position. I said they needed a 3B. And they wouldn’t have needed one if they would’ve made the right pick in 2013.
Don’t care that Fowler was coming off a bad season. You said they don’t make dumb moves. Trading a guy who sparked a WS championship team for a guy who was below replacement level turned out to be dumb.
They havent given up many good prospects. They also haven’t really acquired many good players in trades. Giles was a bust. Gomez was a bust.
The best trade they made was mostly a salary dump.
And if you wanna get real technical – rule changes in 2013 saved them from making colossal mistakes with the number 1 pick in 2012 and 2014
Luhnow isn’t flawless. He collected an absurd number of picks over a 5 year stretch, including the top pick in 3 straight drafts along with multiple first round comp picks. That has allowed him to recover from mistakes along the way.
*rule changes in 2012
There’s no way you can argue that Gomez/Fiers for Hader/Santana/Phillips/Houser was anything other than a terrible trade for the Astros.
so how was Giles a bust, when he has put up over 4 fWAR in 2.5 seasons. Nor do I think he is done with the Astros.
What mistakes? Please name them.
A terrible trade results in you giving up something that truly was a disaster.
Which prospects have the Astros dealt in Luhnows tenure, have produced consecutive above replacement level seasons?
I mean Daz Cameron, may turn out to be something. But they sold Jake Rogers obviously at the right time.
How did a rule change in 2013 affect the 2012 draft? and the last 3 drafts, Luhnow has been picking in the back end of the rounds. he had 4 picks in top 5 from 12′-15′ (4 years not 5ll which resulted in Correa, Bregman and Tucker. those seem like pretty good picks to me..
I didn’t see your correction in 2 rule change year. sorry.
rattat
ahem…Verlander Trade?
So what your saying is they should have drafted for the one position they pretty much had no need for at that time. They had just traded for Matt Dominguez that year and he was considered one of the better prospects at that time. He was also their 3rd best player at that year based on WAR (yes subjective) and not even close to arbitration eligible. That year they did not have a pitcher with a 500 record.
It like the Yankees drafting a 2nd baseman now to replace gleybar.
Fiers provided value as an innings eater in each season he pitched in Houston, threw a no-hitter, and stepped in when all the top tier guys of the rotation went down last year, in many of those games pitched like an ace. He was an odd man out for the playoff roster, even if he faded a little down the stretch.
“They also haven’t really acquired many good players in trades.” Um… have you heard of Justin Verlander? Brian McCann or Evan Gattis? How about highly regarded prospect Yordan Alverez?
To be fair, when trading, there is a certain amount of risk involved. No GM will be perfect, and some will not work out. However, it is clear that Lunhow has acquired a great deal of talent via trade that contributed significantly to a championship team.
Houthon – Verlander trade happened because Houston started to falter in August. They realized they needed a top arm and got it on Aug 31. Truth is, Houston front office didn’t want to make that deal. Otherwise it would have been done before July 31.
So, according to this thread, Lunhow has never made a good trade, except for the good trade he made. But that trade wasn’t done at the right time, because it was done to correct a team need and some imaginary force striped him of his decision making power and made him to do it. Yes, this makes perfect sense.
I guess he just lucked into building a championship caliber team, and the folks here could have done so much more with the Astros if they only had a chance. They would all be able to bring over Trout for cash, all draft picks would be mlb all stars within two years, and the team would be undefeated.
Folty will have consecutive above replacement level seasons. But then again Gattis has been good for the Astros so it’s null. I do think he has a point about all the great draft picks saving them though
Dude, everyone was high on Mark Appel, you don’t get projected in the top of the draft two straight years otherwise.
Lunhow will readily admit he isn’t flawless, but if you read Astroball you would know that they have developed methodology that minimizes their risks. I’m sure Lunhow liked Fowler, but the Astros had yet to show signs they would be a full blown contender, so trade him, get value and stock more assets.
The Gomez trade is his one mistake as GM. And since then he has been frugal with how he deals his prospects. Notice how his top pitching and hitting prospects have been off limits since Hader and Philips.
Haven’t really acquired any good players via trades?
I’m pretty sure they traded for their co-aces…
Verlander and Cole…
J.d. martinez
Domingo Santana as well, but he doesn’t get the playing time he has earned because Yellich, Caine and Braun.
Vince Velasquez and Folty have turned into good pitchers as well. However the caveat with all of them is that there was a real spot for them with the Astros.
Astros keep in mind… Lance Mccullers will not be in the rotation in the playoffs.
They can really sort of use Morton and McCullers again like last year if they can maintain a three man rotation with Verlander, Cole, and Keuchel.
Houston’s knee jerk reaction to Mariner’s move! 😉
I would like to see Joe Mauer to the Yankees, would be a more reliable guy at first, good guy to get on base at top of lineup, save the Twins a few milliion and throw them a decent prospect or two, he could always go back to Minnesota next year if he/they wanted, maybe he’d go along with a trade
Don’t think it happens. His wife is pregnant and he’s always said he wants to be a career Twin.
If Joe wants a shot on a contender, I’m all for it. Joe should have that chance. He’s not getting it on the Twins.
Sure, we’d all like to see Joe finish his career as Always-A-Twin, but if he wants it, I wouldn’t complain or feel bad that he left. As you said, he can always come back next year.
Minnesota can contend next year. Detroit won’t. KC won’t. Chisox probably won’t. Cleveland enters this offseason with some question marks. Twins re-sign Mauer and address needs, they are in position to take the Central. Beyond a division title is anyone’s guess in 2019.
Yeah, the Twins are not trading Joe Mauer, I can almost assure you this.
Mauer is a Twins “lifer.” He’s from Minnesota. He’ll retire there.
lol
Wonder if the royals would trade Soler? He’s controllable he’s got a ton of potential. He’s strong as an ox times 2.
His power depletes compared to Judge or Stanton. He’s never had a full season to show it off.
Very disappointed that we gave up Alcala in this deal. I absolute love him. Presley is a solid option I guess so hopefully he’ll work out for us.
What exactly are the Braves doing another quality bullpen arm down the drain while us Brave fans can’t see a pitcher that can throw a damn strike. I am not saying I wanted Pressly exactly but damn AA they are slowly falling back and he has done nothing to improve this team’s biggest flaw. I am all for keeping the young guys developing for the rotation but damn they have a hard time throwing strikes as well
Braves are a year – maybe 2 – away from being a real contender. Still have a lot to sort out with all those young guys. Then they will be contenders for years.
Example – Acuna came in like superstar. The league saw him and made adjustments. Now he needs to adjust. He’s only 20, so odds are that he will. But many of the young Braves need a few years yet.
Braves will get some guys off the DL, and will use those guys to sell the idea that the injured pitchers “are our deadline deals”. AA used this line in Toronto a bunch of years ago to rationalize their deadline deals, or lack thereof.
To answer your question, they are not going to rock the boat knowing they are poised to contend for a few years. AA wants a loaded system, either to use for trades in the future or to replace current guys. He just wants to be careful with the great situation he has.
Twins NEVER figured out how best to effectively use Pressly. In each of his appearances he usually gives up a hit or a walk or both so he should not be brought in with runners on base. Check out his stats on inherited runners scored. Also, he is at his worst when batters ignore his heat and wait for his slow stuff which is VERY hittable.
“Howdy.” He’s got a “hunka hunka burnin’ fastball” that usually get slammed.
I’m an Astros fan, but don’t live remotely close to Houston, let alone Texas. What’s the common opinion about keuchel? It scares me to think that he will be a rotational piece in the playoffs. Maybe I’m misguided because I’m not immersed with the Astros where I’m at, but he doesn’t even come close to passing my eye test. His cy young was years ago, is he still living off that swag?
Before tonight it looked like he got his mojo back. I’m not too scared bc we have Verlander/Cole
In the whole scheme of rotation. Dallas Keuchel’s pitching style from the LH side offsets Houston’s other RH hard throwers.
Great move by the Astros. Their bullpen looks suspect to me. When will Brian Giles be traded?
Brian Giles is back?
Keuchel is still one of the best pitchers in baseball and you have him as your 3 or 4 you are in pretty good shape as a team.
When he is right mechanically nobody can hit thanks to his ability to spot pitches and deceive. Much like last year after his injury it took him a while to get his mechanics right again. The last month has been a return to form.
Remember what Verlander, Cole and Morton are doing is at a consistent elite level that few can do. That is not a bar you can set perspective wise for Keuchel when he has always be a 1-2 runs a game guy with the ocassional bad game mixed in. Even his Cy Young campaign was like that.
Plus, Keuchel is historical god aweful out of the Bullpen and with his ability to dominate the Yankees, you want him in the rotation.
when he comes out of retirement and joins the stros….I believe you mean ken giles
These past two moves for the stros are good I think and they are perhaps looking for a bat to wrap up this trade season. On th BP McCullers will move to the pen so really what the stros are looking at is a combo of McHugh,Rondon,McCullers and this new pickup looks solid to me. Maldonado will also pay huge dividends as will behind the plate Both moves I think are upgrades to an already solid team.
I live in the Milwaukee area, where Maldonado originally came from before the angles…he is complete garbage. They got rid of him and have replace him with the likes of Jett bandy, manny piña, and other garbage catchers…how good can he really be? Obviously he’s a stop-gap til McCann is ready, but why trade for him? I’m of the belief that the Astros need bullpen and a bat in the outfield. Catcher seems like a waste, imo. I like Presley joining the team, so long as he doesn’t pitch multiple innings, but we need a legit closer that doesn’t punch himself in the face.