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AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS VS ASTROS

October 6, 2018

Ryan Pressly

Houston, Texas - pregame 2

Q. I was talking with A.J. the other day, and he was saying you had a lot of usage even before you were traded over here. How are you feeling at this point in the season? No one's 100 percent, but how do you feel strength-wise and making the transition here?
RYAN PRESSLY: I feel good. It's my job every day to get my body ready no matter what, no matter what the situation is. It's postseason too, so your adrenaline's kicking pretty hard. You're not going to really think about hurting while you're out there.

Like I said, it's my job to get my body ready, so I'll do whatever it takes to get ready.

Q. You came in in a really big spot yesterday, bases loaded. You were able to get the job done. Justin Verlander praised your actions yesterday, and so did A.J. Hinch. Does that for you kind of give you a sigh of relief heading into the rest of the postseason, that you've come and you've done your job, it's kind of like every other game? Or is it still postseason, the adrenaline's going a little bit too hard?
RYAN PRESSLY: That's awesome he thought I did well. I thought I did pretty bad on that first pitch. I just want to go out there and pick J.V. up and do whatever I've got to do to put our team in the best situation to win. If I can just get out of that inning with the lead, I think this team is just going to carry us the rest of the way. So I just try and go out there and get him out of that.

Q. I don't know if they asked you this or not, but what did you think about going one-plus and doing that going forward?
RYAN PRESSLY: Whatever A.J. wants me to do. I'll take the ball for as long as I want it -- or for as long as he'll give it to me. I just want to go out there, like I said, and just keep putting up zeros, keep trying to get people out, keep attacking hitters. That's really my job to try to do, and that's what I want to keep doing.

Q. What have you learned from the other pitchers in the bullpen, the other pitchers on this team since you've come over here?
RYAN PRESSLY: I mean, having some of the guys that are down in the bullpen right now who have a lot of experience, a lot of veteran guys, Tony Sipp, Will Harris, McHugh. Osuna's got playoff experience as well. I think I'm the only one down there who didn't have any postseason experience besides Josh James.

But just picking up what these guys have been saying, like, Hey, don't make the game bigger than it is. The slowest heartbeat wins. You've just got to control yourself while you're out there. Hearing these guys talk about it and what they were saying and what they were telling me, Just calm down while you're out there. It's just another game. It's helped a lot.

Q. A lot of talk was made about guys that have come over here and pitched better than where they were before they came, Ã la Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander. You've been great both places. But is there something about this team? Is there some sort of information they can give you or something that makes guys come here and perform better than they were before they got here?
RYAN PRESSLY: I think it's the information. Also, along with -- I mean, look at the guys who I have behind me. You have Breggy, Tuve, Yuli. I have McCann and Maldy behind the plate. I have all the trust in the world with those guys back there, and that gives us confidence to do whatever we need to do on the mound. Whether it be throwing a curveball in a certain situation where you're not too comfortable, it's going to give me the confidence to do that because I have Maldy back there, like I said, and McCann or Stass, and with the guys that are behind me, I know they're going to be able to make great plays. So it's allowed me to kind of ease my mind when I'm on the mound.

Q. You are a reliever. During the season sometimes you play, what, ten games in a row, two weeks in a row. Can we say postseason is relievers-friendly because of the days off in between?
RYAN PRESSLY: Yes and no, because we're going to have to go multiple innings at some point. It's just all about how you take care of your body and how much you're getting used. You're still going to be sore, but I think, once you get into the game, all that soreness kind of goes away. I think you're going to want to be out there constantly.

For me, going out there and just taking the ball as long as I can really.

Q. Since you pointed out this is your first playoff experience, when you came out on the field -- I know you've got a lot on your mind -- did you take a second to take it all in?
RYAN PRESSLY: That was one of the things I was talking about Tony Sipp, when I came into the game, and he was telling me to slow it down. He was telling me just try to find your crew, your family, wherever they're sitting. You're playing for your teammates, but you're also playing for them too. I just wanted to look up there to see if I could find any. Obviously, there's tons of people up there, so I couldn't find any.

But just going out there, I was nervous leading up to the inning, but once you get out there, everything just kind of blurs in.

Q. Have you ever done that before, try to find family in the stands, that kind of thing?
RYAN PRESSLY: I have. It's a lot easier to find them in the minor leagues, I can tell you that much.

Q. How high is the confidence in the bullpen, given that yesterday you were pitching in a big spot and then Roberto closing out the game?
RYAN PRESSLY: I mean, all these guys out here have all the confidence in the world. McHugh is having one of the better years that he's not even getting recognized for. Osuna's been lights out. Josh James, the kid throws 101. So we have so many options down there and so many guys who can do whatever they need to do to get people out. I think it's a good weapon to have.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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