Anchoring the most efficient bullpen in 2022, Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly battled injuries along the way. The righty missed over two weeks in April with right knee inflammation.
Coming off his second All-Star season, Pressly couldn't find a consistent groove, until a game-tying home run by New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks on June 23 totally flipped his trajectory.
Pressly's season was at his lowest, as he handed away a win to the Yankees — who, at the time, were atop the American League. Two days later, the righty posted a perfect frame with two strikeouts to close out a combined no-hitter — the first against the Yankees in 19 years.
Pressly went onto retire 32 straight batters in a 10-game span, tying Justin Verlander's record set in 2019. A two-out single from Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford ended the streak on July 28, but it still set a franchise record for an Astros reliever.
The previous record was held by right-handed reliever Dave Giusti — who retired 27 hitters from July26-Aug. 14, 1965.
The closer is now a nominee for the 2022 All-MLB Team. Pressly converted 33 of his 37 save opportunities through 50 appearances and 48.1 innings pitched, striking out a second-best 12.10 batters per nine innings in his career and posting a 2.98 ERA.
Pressly made 10 appearances this postseason, pitching 11 innings in relief. With six saves in six opportunities, the righty yielded just four hits and issued just three walks en route to carving through 13 hitters.
Almost identical to the regular season, Pressly closed out a combined no-hitter started by Cristian Javier. In Game 4 of the World Series, Pressly threw 11 of his 19 pitches for strikes, picking up one strikeout and one walk to tie the series at the time.
At the end of the day, God cut them down. The Astros closer inked an extension in April through the 2024 season with a mutual option for 2025. Pressly will make $14 million in each of those contract years while a $2 million buyout kicks in for 2025 if the closer pitches 50 games in both prior seasons.
Grade: A-
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