HOUSTON -- When All-Star closer Josh Hader reported to camp with biceps tendinitis and was shut down for a few weeks, veteran right-hander Bryan Abreu immediately became one of the Astros’ most important players for the 2026 season.
Abreu was set to begin the year as the Astros’ closer, the same role he performed at the end of last season after Hader missed the final month and a half with a left shoulder strain. Abreu saved seven of eight games as Houston’s closer in his final 18 games last season, posting a 3.86 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings.
In his first appearance of the season March 28, Abreu gave up a three-run homer in the ninth inning to Nolan Schanuel of the Angels -- a worrisome sign of things to come for the Astros and Abreu, who is set to hit free agency next year.
Abreu’s troubles have only mounted from there. He came into Friday’s 9-4 loss to the Cardinals at Daikin Park in the seventh inning and with a 4-3 deficit, but a three-run homer to Nolan Gorman allowed the Cardinals to pull away. Abreu has allowed four homers in 7 1/3 innings this season after allowing only four homers in 71 innings last season.
“It’s been a tough beginning of the season for me and for the team, as well,” said Abreu, who has a 14.73 ERA. “It’s basically like keep moving forward, don’t put a lot of stress in my head and try to clean everything up and come out there and compete.”
Abreu admitted he’s been overthinking on the mound and questioning himself.
“It’s been tough, but with the help of my teammates, the coaches, the mental guys that are walking around out there, it’s kind of easier to go out there and day by day keep pushing forward,” he said.
The lack of confidence in his delivery has cost him velocity. He averaged 97.3 mph with his four-seam fastball last year, and the same pitch is averaging 95.4 mph this year (entering Friday). His walk rate has ballooned to 15.95 from 3.93 last year.
Meanwhile, his chase rate last year was in the 70th percentile, but coming into Friday it was in the second percentile in 2026. Additionally, 61.7 percent of his pitches coming into Friday have been thrown out of the zone, which is the 11th-highest out-of-zone rate among pitchers who'd thrown at least 100 pitches this year. Last year, Abreu threw 54.1 percent of his pitches out of the zone.
“We’ve got to continue to give him opportunities and prepare him to pitch,” manager Joe Espada said. “He’s one of the best relievers in the game. The only way we can tap into that is to continue to give him opportunities -- prep him, get him ready, show him some video of mechanical changes if he needs it.”
Abreu knows he’s been missing his target too much, but he says the shape and velo of his slider has been good. The fastball has been too inconsistent.
“The only thing I can say is it’s a little bit of lack of confidence in my delivery,” he said. “I don’t want to be forcing my arm in the wrong delivery because that can cost me an injury. I’d rather be just as natural as I can and try to get the velo out there. Sometimes I can hit 98, but the very next day I can be like 95. It’s something I can be working on and try to keep my delivery and mechanics as clean as I can so the velo can come back.”
The Astros have turned to veteran Enyel De Los Santos in their last two save chances, and he’s converted. Hader was moved to the 60-day injured list, which means he won’t return until the end of May at the earliest. He faced hitters for the first time earlier this week and threw in the bullpen Friday as he plods his way back.
For now, the Astros will continue to give Abreu chances to regain the elite form he had from 2022-25, when he posted a 2.30 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP with 396 strikeouts in 281 2/3 innings and emerged as one of baseball’s elite setup men.
“We’ve got to continue to help him and guide him through this,” Espada said.