Astros closer Josh Hader will start the season on the injured list, manager Joe Espada told reporters on Wednesday morning. Houston will open its season on March 26 against the Angels.
Hader, who missed the final two months of last season with a left shoulder capsule strain, said when camp opened a month ago that he was “a few weeks behind” after being diagnosed with biceps tendinitis at the start of February. Hader threw a bullpen Tuesday, his first since coming to camp, and said things went well.
“I had a little bit of momentum down the mound, so I felt good,” Hader said. “I felt like my body was in sync.”
Hader threw about 15 pitches, all fastballs, while being watched closely by pitching coaches Josh Miller and Ethan Katz. Houston general manager Dana Brown stood along a fence nearby watching intently.
“The ball was coming out easy,” Miller said. “It was his first normal bullpen in a while and he had the governor on for a while, but he looked good.”
Astros manager Joe Espada said Hader hit 87 mph, but Hader had to be told to dial it back to 81-84 considering it was his first time throwing a bullpen in six weeks.
With Hader now slated to begin the season on the injured list, the Astros could move setup man Bryan Abreu to the closer spot, like they did late last season. The club added enough pitching depth in the winter to absorb some injuries.
Newcomers Ryan Weiss, Peter Lambert and Kai-Wei Teng have pitched well this spring and could be multiple-inning relievers in the bullpen, but the Astros are at their best with Hader in the ninth inning.
Hader, who saved 28 games for the Astros last year and made his sixth All-Star team, landed on the 15-day injured list in August after reporting some left shoulder discomfort while working out at Daikin Park. He didn’t pitch again in 2025 after his Aug. 8 outing against the Yankees in which he threw two innings.
He finished his rehab from that injury in November and got off the mound and threw 87 mph before taking a break. He resumed throwing again in January and was around 85-87 mph in those bullpens, with his capsule not being an issue. It was in his fourth bullpen of the season when he felt the biceps grabbing him while throwing a changeup.
Hader was named American League Reliever of the Month for June by going 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA. He converted all nine of his save opportunities in 14 appearances, allowing six hits with one walk, 22 strikeouts, a 0.51 WHIP, a .128 opponents’ batting average and 14.49 strikeouts per nine innings. He converted his first 25 save chances of the year, setting a club record.