Astros closer Ryan Pressly lands on injured list with neck issue
The AL-leading Astros are down a man in the bullpen for at least the next two weeks
By
Mike Axisa
•
1 min read
Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly has been placed on the 15-day injured list with "neck spasms," the team announced Thursday. The injured list stint is backdated to Monday and Pressly can be activated on Sept. 6. Right-hander Seth Martinez was called up in a corresponding move.
"Pressly is going on the IL today. His neck is not better. It's about the same or worse," Astros manager Dusty Baker said Thursday (video). "We can backdate it three days, so not the full 15 days (from now). I think we have a couple off-days in-between too."
Pressly, 33, last pitched Sunday, when he allowed two runs in one inning. He did not pitch in a save situation Wednesday, after which the team said they were hopeful Pressly would avoid that injured list. This is the first time neck problems have sent Pressly to the injured list. He has missed time with knee and elbow trouble in recent years, including this April.
In 39 appearances this season Pressly owns a 3.11 ERA with stellar strikeout (32.2 percent) and walk (6.3 percent) rates. He is 25 for 29 in save chances. Setup men Héctor Neris and Rafael Montero both have closing experience and have filled in for Pressly at vary times this year. Ryne Stanek and lefty Will Smith are options as well.
The 27-year-old Martinez has been quietly excellent as an up-and-down depth reliever this season, throwing 32 2/3 innings with a 2.48 ERA. He has 31 strikeouts and 13 walks in those 32 2/3 innings. In all likelihood Martinez would have been Houston's September call up pitcher when rosters expand next week.
Houston entered Thursday with the American League's best record at 80-45. They are 12 1/2 games up in the AL West and 3 1/2 games up on the Yankees for the league's best record. The best record comes with home-field advantage, but in the big picture, Pressly's health is a greater concern, so the team will play it safe.
MLB and the MLBPA agreed to extend the minimum injured list stay to 15 days for pitchers to avoid roster manipulation. The rule took effect in May after being delayed by the pandemic. Position players still have a 10-day injured list.
