HOUSTON — There is no such thing as a participant competing within the 2023 American League Championship Sequence who embodies the Lone Star State greater than Astros nearer Ryan Pressly, who was born in Dallas, has a tattoo of the state on his again and is seldom seen not sporting cowboy boots off the sphere.
Heck, Pressly’s spouse, Kat, is a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who grew up in Houston. It doesn’t get extra Texas than that.
On the subject of Area Metropolis vs. the Metroplex, although, there’s no query the place Pressly’s allegiance lies — he’s hoping his Astros can finish the Rangers’ season within the coming days in a Texas-sized ALCS. The Astros may have home-field benefit within the best-of-seven sequence, starting with Recreation 1 on Sunday night time at Minute Maid Park.
“It’s going to be rowdy, however I believe the gang goes to be 50-50 after we’re up there [in Arlington],” Pressly stated. “It will likely be enjoyable. I’m excited to have the ability to return up there and play some baseball.”
If the Astros are going to get previous the Rangers and advance to their third consecutive World Sequence — and fifth in seven years — Pressly might be known as upon to get some large outs, however he’s confirmed to be up for the problem of October.
Pressly’s 13 profession postseason saves are the fifth-most in Main League historical past, trailing Mariano Rivera (42), Kenley Jansen (20), Brad Lidge (18) and Dennis Eckersley (15). Nobody has saved extra video games within the postseason and not using a blown save than Pressly, who was 6-for-6 in final 12 months’s run to the World Sequence title.
“I believe it is simply one other sport,” Pressly stated. “You attempt to hold issues so simple as you probably can while you’re on the market. You do not wish to attempt to do an excessive amount of or overthink issues. It is simply the identical sport, like I stated earlier this 12 months. It is simply much more individuals are watching.”
Pressly, 34, was drafted by the Pink Sox in 2007 out of Marcus Excessive College in Flower Mound, Texas, and would have attended Texas Tech if he hadn’t signed with Boston. He started his skilled profession as a starter earlier than making the transfer to reduction. He pitched 5 seasons within the Twins’ bullpen earlier than the Astros acquired him in 2018 to bolster their bullpen.
In his first sport with Houston on July 28, 2018, Rougned Odor of the Rangers rocked him for a homer.
“I used to be like, ‘I may have executed this in Minnesota,’” Pressly stated.
The Astros have been wooed by Pressly’s spin fee on his curveball, in addition to his fastball. He modified how he used his pitches and moved into the nearer’s function in 2020. He’s turn into one of the dominant and completed reduction pitchers in baseball.
Pressly notched his one centesimal save with the Astros on July 25 towards the Rangers, changing into the fourth pitcher in membership historical past to achieve that mark. Solely Billy Wagner (225), Dave Smith (199) and Lidge (123) have extra saves in an Astros uniform.
“Like my dad at all times informed me, ‘Simply hold your head down, after which while you lookup on the finish of your profession, you may see what you have executed,’” Pressly stated. “I by no means thought I might get to 100 saves. I imply, you bought to be good for a very long time to do this. And also you’re on a staff like this, and so they simply win. After which you’ve gotten the personnel surrounding you, and it simply makes you that significantly better. I by no means thought I might get there, however I am glad I did.”
Since becoming a member of Houston, Pressly has been named to a pair of All-Star groups and posted the longest scoreless-appearance streak in Main League historical past — 40 video games — from Aug. 15, 2018, to Might 24, 2019. He’s additionally been scoreless in 36 of his 43 profession postseason appearances with the Astros, together with the ultimate three outs within the clincher over the Phillies in final 12 months’s World Sequence.
“There’s not a better feeling on the planet and seeing each single one in all your teammates [rushing] to you to rejoice,” Pressly stated. “So I am going to always remember that for the remainder of my life, particularly seeing the ball land in [Kyle] Tucker’s glove, too. It is the best feeling on the planet.”
Earlier this 12 months, Pressly reached 10 years of service time and was gifted — what else? — a pair of custom-made boots. The boots featured the Astros emblem on the entrance of 1 boot and a Twins emblem on the entrance of the opposite. The again of the boots featured the All-Star Recreation logos in 2019 and ’21.
“I put on boots most likely about 99 p.c of the time,” he stated. “It’s fairly particular to get one thing like that. I don’t suppose I’ll ever put on them, clearly. It will likely be one thing I’ve in my man cave, and hopefully lots of people ask about them after they come over to the home.”
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