Veteran Pressly, 'electric' Hodge form dynamic duo for Cubs

MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy has known Ryan Pressly since their days in the Red Sox's farm system 17 years ago. At the time, Pressly was a recent draftee out of the Texas prep ranks and Hottovy was working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Their individual circumstances led to a lot of time spent together in Florida -- Pressly learning the ropes and Hottovy learning about this new kid’s competitive fire. All these years later, they are reconnected in Cubs camp, where Hottovy is now counting on Pressly to be a resource for another young competitive reliever.

“I see a lot of similarities of a young Ryan Pressly in a young Porter Hodge,” Hottovy said. “That’s going to be a fun dynamic -- for me to watch that relationship blossom.”

Before the Cubs swung a Jan. 28 trade with the Astros to reel in the 36-year-old Pressly, the 23-year-old Hodge boasted the highest career saves total among Chicago’s rostered pitchers. He had all of nine, which the righty collected during a breakout rookie showing that helped stabilize Chicago’s bullpen last year.

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Hodge will undoubtedly find himself pitching the ninth inning again this season, but Pressly arrives as an experienced anchor for Cubs manager Craig Counsell’s relief corps. In his introductory Zoom call with local media, Pressly was quick to rave about Hodge, saying he felt they could be a “dynamic duo” for late innings.

It felt good for Hodge to hear that out of the chute from his new teammate.

“It’s definitely nice to see that other guys are seeing the year I had,” Hodge said. “But we still don’t really know what’s going on with roles. If the best one’s going to get it or we flip-flop or whatever happens -- we’ll be fine, regardless.”

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Counsell loves to describe his relievers as “out-getters” to avoid applying any labels that hinder flexibility or the ability to pivot. Pressly will likely serve as the closer in practice, but the manager would be quick to rattle off a few names capable of filling that role, too. Hodge figures to be a leading candidate, given his showing in 2024.

Hodge climbed to the Majors by late May and then fashioned a 1.88 ERA in 39 appearances the rest of the way. The big right-hander amassed 52 strikeouts and walked 19, allowing only 19 hits in his 43 innings. Beyond the saves, Hodge finished 17 games, including a combined no-hitter on Sept. 4 against the Pirates.

“You guys got to see what he can do last year,” Pressly said. “The stuff is electric.”

What Pressly can offer Hodge is a well of advice based on a lengthy successful career and multiple postseason moments.

“Look, that’s something that I think is important for experienced players to want to do that,” Counsell said. “The bullpen is a unique place. I’ve always thought it was unique, because they sit together in a room at Wrigley for two and a half hours, right? That’s a real opportunity to connect.”

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Pressly has a dozen big league seasons under his belt between the Twins and Astros, with a 3.27 ERA spanning 623 career outings. That includes 112 saves and a run of at least 50 outings in eight of the past nine years (with the shortened 2020 campaign being the exception). The veteran righty has topped 70 games twice and has two seasons with at least 30 saves.

All of those notes account only for the regular season. Pressly also has pitched in two Wild Card Series, six Division Series, six Championship Series and three World Series. He has a 2.78 ERA with 14 saves in 45 1/3 playoff innings, in which he has allowed just one homer to 186 batters faced. Oh, and Pressly recorded the clinching out and save of the 2022 World Series win over the Phillies.

“Hopefully, I can guide him down a good path and help him in any way that I possibly can,” Pressly said. “I want to be somebody that all these guys can lean on. I’ve kind of been there and done it a handful of times.”

And Hottovy has been a part of Pressly’s journey from the start.

“He’s a very intense guy, and when he’s on the mound, he’s an ultimate competitor," Hottovy said. "But I feel a sense of just kind of relaxation from him. … He’s going to bring a ton of knowledge that I want a lot of our young pitchers and relievers to be able to experience.

“I told Porter Hodge, I was like, ‘You should be in his hip pocket every day.’”