Twins trade Pressly to Astros
The reigning World Series champion Houston Astros have landed some much-needed help at the back end of the bullpen.
The Astros acquired right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly from the Minnesota Twins on Friday in exchange for pitching prospect Jorge Alcala and outfielder Gilberto Celestino, the Twins announced.
Pressly is in the midst of a career year, posting a 3.40 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts over 47 2/3 innings. His 13.0 K/9 rate ranks as the ninth-best mark in the majors. The 29-year-old is earning $1.6 million this season and enters his third and final year of arbitration eligibility this winter before hitting free agency.
"He's somebody that we looked at pretty hard and he fits how we like to pitch," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "He fits in a lot of different roles for us. I need to shake his hand first before I kind of know what we're going to do with him."
Houston parted with two of its better prospects to land the high-leverage arm. Alcala was the organization's No. 10 ranked prospect, while Celestino was No. 15.
Alcala, 22, owns a 3.54 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings in Double-A Corpus Christi. Celestino, 19, slashed .317/.383/.476 with four home runs, eight doubles, and 14 stolen bases in 33 games with Short-Season A Tri-City.
The trade marks the second for the Twins in the span of several hours. They dealt infielder Eduardo Escobar to the Arizona Diamondbacks for three prospects earlier Friday.