The Chicago Cubs are once again dipping into a familiar well as they look to reinforce their bullpen this offseason. After back-to-back years of trying to revive former Houston Astros relievers – first Hector Neris, then Ryan Pressly – the Cubs are reportedly showing interest in another ex-Astro: Ryne Stanek.
Let’s be clear: the Neris and Pressly experiments didn’t pan out. Neither finished the season in a Cubs uniform, and both moves ultimately fell short of expectations.
But that hasn’t deterred Chicago’s front office from going back to the Houston pipeline. They’ve already signed Phil Maton to a two-year deal, and now Stanek is on their radar.
Stanek, who shared a bullpen with Maton in Houston from 2021 to 2023, is an intriguing name. He was lights-out in 2022, posting a jaw-dropping 1.15 ERA for the Astros.
But that version of Stanek has been hard to find since. This past season with the Mets, the right-hander struggled to a 5.30 ERA over 65 appearances and saw his strikeout rate dip below 23% – a noticeable drop from his career average of 27.1%.
That dip in strikeouts is a red flag for a pitcher who’s long been known for his high-octane, swing-and-miss stuff. But there’s a silver lining: Stanek’s fastball still sits in the upper 90s.
The velocity hasn’t gone anywhere. And for a team like the Cubs – who have shown they can get the most out of certain pitchers – that’s a foundation worth betting on.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the parallels. This interest in Stanek feels eerily similar to the optimism the Cubs had with Neris and Pressly.
Both were experienced arms with Houston pedigrees, both were expected to stabilize the bullpen, and both ultimately didn’t stick. That’s not to say Stanek can’t be different, but the track record here doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
The Cubs’ recent history with bullpen reclamation projects is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, their pitching infrastructure has done a solid job of turning around struggling arms.
On the other hand, that success hasn’t come from their Houston imports. So while the Cubs might believe they can unlock Stanek’s old form, it’s fair to approach this situation with a healthy dose of skepticism.
And it’s worth noting that Stanek might not even be the Cubs’ top target. They’re also reportedly showing interest in Ryan Helsley, a hard-throwing righty with his own set of question marks.
Helsley stumbled late in the 2025 season, but those issues appear to be mechanical – possibly tipping pitches – rather than a sign of physical decline. He’d likely cost more than Stanek, but the fix might be simpler.
Then there’s Brad Keller, another name in the mix. Whether it’s Helsley, Stanek, or Keller, the Cubs’ plan seems clear: bring in one more established veteran to anchor the bullpen. After that, they can turn their attention to lower-risk, high-upside projects – the kind of arms they’ve had some success developing in recent years.
Bottom line: the Cubs are trying to thread the needle between experience and upside. Stanek offers both – at least in theory. But after two swings and misses with former Astros, Chicago has to be sure this next one connects.
