Report: Astros considering trade of 2-time All-Star pitcher

Oct 22, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; The Houston Astros logo is seen during the third inning of game one of the 2019 World Series against the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Another longtime Houston Astros mainstay appears now to be facing an uncertain future.

Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports on Wednesday that the Astros have had internal discussions about trading away setup man Ryan Pressly. Rome notes that the Astros, who are an estimated $10 million below the first luxury tax threshold, may be looking to get further away from the tax.

Pressly, who turns 36 years old next month, has been with the Astros since 2018. He has made two All-Star teams in Houston and also featured on their 2022 World Series team. On top of that, Pressly was an All-MLB selection in 2022 and holds the record for most consecutive scoreless appearances in MLB history (40).

It is important to mention that Pressly has a full no-trade clause in his contract (which has a vesting option for 2025). That means Pressly would have to approve any deal that the Astros agree to. But with the Astros, who just failed to make the ALCS for the first time since 2016, undergoing some real changes right now, it is at least possible that they could go their separate ways with Pressly (whom it is tough to imagine a Houston bullpen without).