*Photo from Baseball Prospectus*
They saw a need and went to fill it. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Houston Astros and LHP Josh Hader have agreed to a 5 year, $95 million contract. The deal has been confirmed by the team.
Edwin Diaz signed a $102 million deal with the New York Mets last season but it came out to $93.2 million with deferred money. There is no deferred money in Hader's deal, making him the highest paid reliever by present day value. Hader also gets a no trade clause and incentives if he wins the AL Reliever of the Year award at any point in his contract.
The deal is the largest for the Astros under current owner Jim Crane. Hader was previously a part of the Astros organization, winning their minor league pitcher of the year award in 2014 before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Mike Fiers and Carlos Gomez.
Hader spent last season with the San Diego Padres and had a dominant season as their closer. He had a 1.28 ERA, 1.101 WHIP, and 2.69 FIP, converting on 33 saves while striking out 85 hitters in 56 1/3 innings over 61 appearances, being selected to his 3rd straight All Star game.
Crane said of adding Hader to the bullpen that "We think we have a good team, and it adds a big piece to the back of our bullpen. With Pressly and Abreu and Hader, you have three quality guys, 7-8-9, wherever they pitch. We think it gives us a nice chance to get to the playoffs and make a run at another World Series."
Hader ended 2023 with a 36.8 percent strikeout rate, the lowest of his career since his rookie year in 2017. However, he still ranked in the 99th percentile in strikeout rate. He turned down the qualifying offer from the Padres at the start of the offseason, so the Astros will have to forfeit a draft pick.
Over 7 seasons in the league, Hader has played for the Brewers and Padres since he made his debut. Being selected to the All Star game 5 times, he has a 2.50 ERA, 2.73 FIP, and 0.944 WHIP, recording 165 saves in 349 relief appearances, throwing 388 2/3 innings. He has a 1.37 ERA and 0.712 WHIP with 5 saves in 16 appearances and 19 2/3 innings pitched in the playoffs.
The signing of Hader comes in the wake of key Astros reliever Kendall Graveman undergoing surgery and likely missing all of 2024. Hector Neris and Phil Maton, key relievers from 2023, both remain free agents as well.
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