Rumors were sending Josh Hader to Houston recently… and now it's done.
The Astros signed the closer high quality. He accepted a five-year contract valued at no less than $95 million, or $19 million per season.
He signed for less money than Edwin Diaz ($102M), but Hader has no deferred money. In today's money, Diaz's contract is worth less than $95 million.
So Hader has this record.
The Astros pitcher also obtained, in passing, a complete no-change clause. It doesn't have an exit option either.
In short, $19 million per year for five years, from 2024 to 2028.
So the Astros will move Ryan Pressly into an eighth inning role. He was an excellent closer, but he also pitched in the eighth in time.
With Bryan Abreu and Rafael Montero, it will make quite a bullpen. Manager Joe Espada will really have his hands full this year.
Remember that the Phillies, the Rangers and the Yankees were also cited in the file when it came time to talk about Hader.
Will his signing in Houston open the door to a Red Sox trade involving Kenley Jansen? Possibly, yes.
In 2013, when he was a prospect, Hader was traded from the Orioles to the Astros. Two years later, the Astros sent him to Milwaukee before his debut in the Majors.
It remains to be seen whether now that his contract has been secured, he will want to throw more than an inning once in a while. At this price, I think so.
