Ryan Pressly's choice of Chicago Cubs over Detroit Tigers should turn heads

No-trade clauses can be a strange portion of a contract. The dynamics of teams you block or don't block can change throughout the course of the deal. The Detroit Tigers experienced that odd reality firsthand this week.

Former Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly found himself in trade rumors for a couple of weeks before finally being proposed two options. The former All-Star had two possibilities that the Houston Astros were willing to accept. He could go to the Chicago Cubs or the Detroit Tigers. He chose to go to the Cubs.

There are a few reasons this could have been the case, some of which should be more concerning than others. Firstly, Pressly could have viewed the Cubs bullpen as a weakness and seen an obvious opportunity to jump directly into the closer role. Chicago's bullpen was a big reason they missed the playoffs last season, logging a near-four ERA, and Pressly could have seen an unblocked opportunity to see high-leverage situations. The Tigers had a top-five reliever ERA last year, so Pressly may have had to settle into a setup or middle relief role, possibly deterring him from Detroit.

Alternatively, he may have looked at the offseason that each team has had. The Chicago Cubs made the offseason's biggest trade, acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Astros. Meanwhile, the Tigers have made one notable move, signing Gleyber Torres to a one-year deal, then adding Tommy Kahnle on a similar flyer.

Ryan Pressly's decision to select the Chicago Cubs over the Detroit Tigers does not bode well for the Tigers.

To break it down to the bare bones of it all, choosing a non-playoff team over a playoff team is concerning. Granted, there was a reason other than the talent of the roster why he may have picked the North Side, but it should still open eyes. It begs the question; is Detroit a desirable free agent destination? At this point, a vast majority of your prospects have arrived. At this point, it is time to fill out the roster with impact veteran players.

Pressly will likely be an impact player for the Cubs next season. What should open eyes is the fact that he had a true option between your team and another team, and chose the inferior team, according to last year's record. That makes you wonder if players around the league don't see the Tigers as a real threat. Perhaps they thought last year was an anomaly of sorts?

We have heard rumors of Alex Bregman being in touch with the Tigers. Might he go to a more inferior team (perhaps the Boston Red Sox) because he doesn't believe in the Tiger core? The decision of Pressly should open more eyes than has so far, but the Tigers will continue to drag their fans through the mud with Alex Bregman rumors and very little else.