Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Ryan Pressly

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Ryan Pressly made an impact.

Ryan Pressly is a professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Chicago Cubs in MLB. Prior to joining the Cubs, he played for the Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros. Pressly has also represented Team USA in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), showcasing his talent on an international stage.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2007: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox

In 2007, Ryan Pressly was selected by the Boston Red Sox from high school in the 11th round of the MLB draft.

2012: Selected by Twins and Made Opening Day Roster

After the 2012 season, the Minnesota Twins selected Ryan Pressly from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft. Pressly made the Twins' Opening Day roster.

2012: Selected by the Minnesota Twins in Rule 5 Draft

In 2012, Pressly was chosen by the Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 draft after five seasons in the minor leagues.

2012: Converted to Relief Pitcher

In 2012, Ryan Pressly converted to a relief pitcher in the Red Sox' minor league system. During his first season as a relief pitcher for the Portland Sea Dogs, he achieved a 2.93 ERA.

2013: MLB Debut

Ryan Pressly made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Minnesota Twins.

2014: Called up to the Twins

In 2014, Ryan Pressly began the season with the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins Triple-A affiliate, before being called up on July 23. He made 25 relief appearances, going 2–0 with a 2.86 ERA.

2015: Injury and Season Conclusion

In 2015, Ryan Pressly began the season with Rochester and was recalled on April 28. On July 4, Pressly suffered a lat muscle strain, putting him on the 15-day disabled list and was ruled out for the remainder of the year after suffering a setback during rehab on August 17.

2016: First Major League Save

In 2016, Ryan Pressly recorded his first major league save on July 31 in a 6–4 win against the Chicago White Sox.

2017: Optioned to Minors and Recalled

In 2017, Ryan Pressly struggled with a 9.50 ERA through the first 3 months of the season and was optioned to the minors on June 6. He was recalled on June 29 and returned to his prior form.

July 27, 2018: Traded to Houston Astros

On July 27, 2018, the Twins traded Ryan Pressly to the Houston Astros. He then posted a 0.77 ERA and walked only three batters in 26 games pitched with the Astros. The Astros analytics department recommended that he throw his curveball and slider more often due to the elite spin rates.

August 10, 2018: Start of Scoreless Appearances Streak

Ryan Pressly's major league record 39th consecutive scoreless appearance began on August 10, 2018.

2018: Middle Reliever and Setup Man for Twins

During the 2018 season, Ryan Pressly continued to serve as a middle reliever and setup man for the Twins, making 51 appearances.

2018: Traded to Houston Astros

In 2018, the Minnesota Twins traded Ryan Pressly to the Houston Astros.

2018: First Postseason Appearance

In the 2018 postseason, Ryan Pressly made his first appearances, pitching in the ALDS versus the Cleveland Indians and ALCS versus the Red Sox, tossing 5 innings.

2018: Acquired by Houston Astros at Trade Deadline

Since being acquired by Houston at the 2018 trade deadline, Ryan Pressly had produced a 2.19 ERA, 0.924 WHIP, and saved 42 games in 160+1⁄3 innings.

2019: MLB Record for Consecutive Scoreless Appearances

In 2019, Ryan Pressly set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless appearances with 40 games.

2019: Contract Extension and Scoreless Appearance Record

In 2019, Ryan Pressly signed a contract extension with the Astros. On May 17, he broke Craig Kimbrel's major league record with his 39th consecutive scoreless appearance, dating back to August 10, 2018. He then made 10 total appearances in the 2019 postseason.

2020: Full-Time Closer

In 2020, Ryan Pressly served as a full-time closer for the first time, achieving 12 saves and a 3.43 ERA over 23 relief appearances.

2021: All-Star Selection and Contract Vesting

In 2021, Ryan Pressly was selected for the second time in his Astros tenure to the All-Star Game. On September 23, he completed a scoreless ninth in his 60th appearance of the season, concluding the final condition for his contract for 2022 to fully vest.

2021: Season Performance

In 2021, Ryan Pressly went 5–3 with 26 saves and a 2.25 ERA over 64 appearances and 64 innings. He produced the lowest walk and home run rates of his career.

April 5, 2022: Contract Extension with Astros

On April 5, 2022, Ryan Pressly and the Astros agreed to terms on a new two-year contract extension that covered the 2023 and 2024 seasons, with an option for 2025.

May 29, 2022: Save vs. Seattle Mariners

On May 29, 2022, Ryan Pressly earned a save after inducing a ground ball hit by Luis Torrens for a game-ending, bases-loaded double play to preserve a 2–1 win versus the Seattle Mariners.

November 10, 2022: Commitment to World Baseball Classic

On November 10, 2022, Ryan Pressly committed to play for the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

2022: World Series Game 4 No-Hitter

In 2022, Ryan Pressly closed out Game 4 of the World Series, securing the final three outs of a combined no-hitter of the Phillies. He and Javier became the first to contribute in multiple combined no-hitters in the major leagues, with Pressly being the first reliever to do so.

2022: 2022 Season Stats

In 2022, Ryan Pressly had 33 saves and a 2.98 ERA in 48+1⁄3 innings with 65 strikeouts in 50 games.

2022: Critical Role in Astros' World Series Victory

In 2022, Ryan Pressly played a critical role in the Astros’ victory in the World Series, closing out five of six games. For his World Series performance, Pressly led all players in the 2022 edition with a 33.87% cWPA.

2022: All-MLB Team Selection and World Series Championship

In 2022, Ryan Pressly was selected to the All-MLB Team and won his first World Series championship as a member of the Astros. He also became the first pitcher to finish two no-hit games, including the second no-hitter in World Series history.

2022: Contract Vesting

In 2022, Ryan Pressly's contract vested, guaranteeing him a $10 million salary.

2022: Game 4 of the World Series

In Game 4 of the 2022 World Series, Ryan Pressly became the first MLB relief pitcher to contribute to two combined no-hitters and just the second pitcher overall.

May 29, 2023: Consecutive Saves Streak Ends

On May 29, 2023, Ryan Pressly's streak of successfully converted 28 consecutive save opportunities ended in a loss to the Twins.

2023: World Baseball Classic

In the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Ryan Pressly tossed three scoreless innings and registered three saves. Team USA finished as silver medalists, losing to Japan in the final, 3-2.

2023: Contract Coverage

Ryan Pressly's two-year contract extension covered the 2023 season, with an option for 2025.

2024: Regular Season and AL Wild Card Series

In 2024, Pressly had 59 regular season appearances with a 2-3 record, 3.49 ERA, 4 saves, and 58 strikeouts. He ranked sixth in the AL in holds with 25. In the AL Wild Card Series versus Detroit, he was 0-1 and took the loss in Game 2, allowing a wild pitch that resulted in his first career blown save in the postseason.