For many players, a capsule injury requires surgery and a possible absence of more than a year. The Astros have maintained that they expect Hader to be able to return without going under the knife. General manager Dana Brown said during the GM Meetings that the team was hopeful the six-time All-Star would be ready for opening day.
Hader expressed similar sentiments tonight, saying he’s in a good place after completing a throwing program a few weeks ago. “It should be normal. Obviously the intensity is going to increase (in Spring Training) and we’ll see how that goes and how I recover and bounce back from that,” said the veteran southpaw (link via Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle). “But from now on everything is status quo, back to normal.”
Before the injury, Hader was having another excellent season. He had a 2.05 ERA while striking out 37% of opponents in 52 2/3 innings. Hader made 28 of 29 save opportunities and was well on his way to what would have been his sixth straight full season with at least 30 save opportunities. It was a strong rebounding effort from a slightly less consistent first season in Houston. Hader posted a 3.80 ERA, the second-highest mark of his career, across 71 appearances in 2024.
Hader worked more than one inning in seven appearances this year. He completed two full frames four times, including what would ultimately be his final appearance of the season on August 8. Hader threw a season-high 36 pitches in that outing. That could certainly be a coincidence — he threw 35 pitches in a game twice earlier this year and wasn’t injured — but the timing certainly raises some questions about his workload. Hader didn’t pitch more than one inning in any regular-season game between 2021 and 2023, apparently out of injury concerns before landing a major free agent contract.
Once the Astros signed him to a five-year deal worth $95 million, Hader changed course. He said tonight that he remains open to pitching multiple innings despite the shoulder issue, though he added that he hasn’t heard from the team yet about their usage plans. “For sure. They promised I would be here for several years and gave me the opportunity to pitch. That’s all I can ever ask for. And my commitment to them means I’ll be there and available as much as possible,” Hader said when asked if he wanted to work more than one inning.
The Astros were forced to apply pressure Bryan Abreu in the closer role for the final six weeks of the season. Abreu had a rough patch between August 30 and September 9 as he allowed multiple runs in three of four games. He was otherwise flawless, throwing scoreless performances in his remaining fourteen appearances while securing seven saves. Abreu is one of the best setup arms in the MLB and could certainly close if necessary, but the Astros felt the effects of losing Hader on the overall bullpen. Caleb Ort And Enyel De Los Santos were their right-handers to handle the leverage points that arose earlier in games. That’s not enough for a hopeful play-off.
It doesn’t seem like Houston will know if they’re out of the woods with Hader’s shoulder until he’s fully rebuilt in March. However, the early returns are encouraging, which is crucial for a team once again facing questions about bullpen depth. The front office appears to be operating under relatively strict payroll constraints from ownership and also needs to solidify the middle of the rotation while ideally adding a left-handed bat.
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