Ryan Pressly Works Through Early Jitters in First Chicago Cubs Appearance

On Sunday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, Ryan Pressly toed the rubber for the first time as a member of the Chicago Cubs. The former Houston Astros closer, who was acquired in a trade to solidify the Chicaco Cubs’ bullpen, is expected to provide much-needed stability at the back end of the team’s late-inning relief corps. Though he was far from perfect in his debut, he offered the first glimpse into how he may fit into his new position.

Early Challenges Against Texas Rangers Lineup

Ryan Pressly entered the game in the second inning, facing a tough stretch of the Texas Rangers' batting order, which included shortstop Corey Seager, first baseman Jake Burger, and third baseman Josh Jung. Although his delivery appeared smooth, his command was inconsistent.


The fourth pitch of that at-bat was a single by Corey Seager, from which the very outset of the at-bat, left Ryan Pressly in a difficult position. But he bounced back amazingly against Burger, freezing him with a well-located four-seamer on the outside corner for his first strikeout this afternoon.

The biggest battle of Pressly’s outing was against Josh Jung. He mixed his pitches well, showing the ability to spin a sharp slider and a curveball with a good vertical break. But his position was far from precise enough to distract Jung, who appeared to be in mid-season form. Like a lot of pitchers in early spring appearances, Pressly focused less on a specific pitch and more on the arsenal, working deep into the count.

High Pitch Count Raises Eyebrows

With Ryan Pressly’s pitch count rising, Chicago Cubs’ manager Craig Counsell made a curious choice to keep him in the game. Since it was his first spring training outing, 26 pitches did seem like a lot for a reliever beginning to ramp up to the regular season.

Pressly ended the outing with two runs allowed on two hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Despite the rough start, there are no immediate concerns about his role. Ryan Pressly was acquired by the Cubs’ president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer on the understanding that he would serve as the team’s primary closer, and it should be noted that this early performance isn’t likely to alter that plan.

Had there been stiff competition for the closer’s role, this outing might have sparked more discussion. However, with over a month remaining before the regular season, Pressly has plenty of time to fine-tune his mechanics and regain his sharpness. Sunday’s appearance was merely a first step in that process, a low-stakes outing focused more on knocking off rust than delivering mid-season results.

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