Astros All-Star Ryan Pressly to Have Knee Surgery and Miss 4-to-6 Weeks

Houston Astros v Chicago White Sox
Houston Astros v Chicago White Sox / Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Houston Astros took a massive hit to their bullpen on Thursday, as they placed right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly on the injured list with continuous knee discomfort.

To take his spot on the active roster, Houston recalled right-handed reliever Joe Biagini, who they acquired at the trade deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays and recently demoted less than a week ago.

Pressly will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Friday, and the expectation is that he'll miss 4-to-6 weeks. The Astros remain confident that he'll be able to return by the end of the regular season, but it'll be a close call before they begin a postseason run.

Pressly, 30, has arguably been Houston's top reliever this season, which earned him his first All-Star appearance. In 51 appearances, he owns a 2.50 ERA and has 65 strikeouts over 50.1 innings.

In a very small sample size, Biagini was doing the job out of the Astros bullpen as well, posting a 2.57 ERA in just seven innings of work. On the season, the 29-year-old owns a 3.63 ERA over 54 appearances.

His acquisition, along with Aaron Sanchez, just became all the more important for Houston's October hopes.