Where Does the Ryan Pressly Trade Leave Porter Hodge in the 2025 Cubs Bullpen?

[Andrew Wright]

Ready for a big sophomore season, the Cubs' righty reliever now has a more comfortable prospective role—though a bit less of a clear one.

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

After the recent acquisition of former Astros closer Ryan Pressly, it is widely assumed that he will become the closer for the Cubs. If that is the case, it will knock Porter Hodge out of that spot, where he collected nine saves in 12 opportunities and finished his rookie season with a stellar 1.88 ERA. With the addition of Pressly and rumors swirling of Chicago still being interested in both David Robertson and Ryne Stanek, what, exactly, is Hodge's role in 2025?

After coming up on May 22, Hodge had a breakout rookie season in 2024. Over 43 innings, he struck out 52 batters and walked just 19. He allowed multiple runs in an outing just four times. He instantly became an electric arm out of the Chicago bullpen, averaging 95.5 mph on his fastball and allowing just a .132 average to opposing hitters. Hodge turned into a reliable and high-strikeout arm, in a season wherein there weren't enough of those in the Chicago bullpen.

Manager Craig Counsell had high praise for Hodge along the way.

"His stuff has been so good. He's a talented kid and he's doing it with really good pitches. The experience part of it, he's getting it every time out there," he told Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network.

The "stuff" Counsell referred to was the sweeper and splitter combo that he featured with his fastball. Opponents struggled big-time with those pitches, hitting just .074 against the sweeper and failing to collect a hit against the splitter.

If the Cubs were to call their roster complete as of today, Hodge would undoubtedly be the eighth-inning setup man to get the ball to Pressly in the ninth. However, if Chicago were to sign one of Robertson or Stanek (or add some other, similar arm, perhaps via trade), Hodge's role could morph into more of a true middle reliever.

The depth of Chicago's bullpen would certainly increase with Hodge entering games as early as the sixth or seventh inning, and he would serve as the closer on days when the more accomplished arms are not available out of the bullpen. 

With just one year remaining on Pressly's contract, another excellent season from Hodge could put him in line to be the Cubs closer for 2026 and beyond. In the meantime, he just needs to prove he can throw strikes and keep getting outs with his intense cut-ride heater and that killer breaking pitch.

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