Pressly just looking to get healthy
Favorite for closer role says he’s feeling better after battling injuries the past two seasons
Problems plagued Ryan Pressly throughout the truncated 2020 season. The frequent pauses — be it for a pandemic, protest or passing storm — made it impossible for him to feel ready. He became the Astros’ closer by default but struggled to harness anything close to his 2019 All-Star form.
“We’re looking for him to be healthy. Last year there were times that we couldn’t use him and a few times when, probably looking back, we shouldn’t have, but he said he was OK,” manager Dusty Baker said Saturday.
“He was ailing just a little bit. But we’re looking for him to be more relaxed in that role, because he was very good in the setup role, … I’ve seen guys different in the setup role than they were in the closer role.”
Pitchers and catchers have been in West Palm Beach, Fla. for only three days. Anointing anyone as the Astros closer is far too premature. Assuming one person will handle the duty may be foolish, too. The Astros have a certain “uniqueness” to their bullpen, according to pitching coach Brent Strom.
“This is what the Rays have done so well in the past,” Strom said, an ode to general manager James Click’s time in Tampa. “Having guys with different weapons makes it very enjoyable to map out against certain hitters.”
So perhaps the Astros deploy a closer-by-committee approach, one predicated on predetermined matchups for the opponent’s most menacing hitters. Baker has been open to it in the past, but he might like to see one person take the ninth inning for himself.
“I do think we have four guys or so that could possibly do that,” Strom said. My guess right now is that Ryan Pressly ... is probably the leader having been with us.”
Last season, Pressly took the baseball 23 times and never felt in sync. After Roberto Osuna injured his elbow, Pressly converted 12 of his 16 save opportunities, but he did not perform near his vintage form.
In one outing, his fastball would have too much cut. In another, his curveball lacked consistency. Eventually, his slider and fastball looked too similar, diminishing any swing and miss against the breaking pitch.
“Everything just kind of snowballed on me,” Pressly said Saturday. “Every time I took the ball, it felt like I was working on something.”
“It was a plethora of things that didn’t go my way. I really just tried to do everything I could to get loose and try to get ready.”
Right knee surgery in 2019 coupled with elbow soreness from the start-and-stop nature of the 2020 season affected Pressly’s stride in his delivery. His hips weren’t rotating. He felt his body was falling toward the on-deck circle instead of home plate. Finding a consistent release point became almost impossible.
Yet, Pressly’s numbers were not awful, just not near the elite level many came to anticipate during the 2019 season. He finished 2020 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Opponents had a .728 OPS against him, but struck out 29 times in 21 innings. Pressly threw 70 percent of his pitches for strikes, but still blew four saves.
Pressly devoted his winter to correcting his direction toward the plate. He threw bullpen sessions at Minute Maid Park with TrackMan technology measuring his stuff. Everything, Pressly said, was pretty “spot on.” His pitches were staying true and not cutting.
The next step will be Grapefruit League games to face hitters, ensure his mechanics and repertoire are in sync, and, possibly, assume the closer’s spot.
“I think everybody strives to be the guy who gets the last three outs of the game,” Pressly said. “It’s a different kind of adrenaline rush when you’re closing out a game. But for me, honestly, I just want to get back to the postseason and win a World Series.
“In the postseason, you’re going to have to get big outs either way. I was getting big outs in the fifth inning, and it’s just as important as getting big outs in the ninth inning. As long as we get back to the World Series and the postseason, I don’t really care who’s closing.”