Star Astros Closers Josh Hader Coach Joe Espada announced the team’s loss this morning (via Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle), saying he will be on the 15-day injured list for the 2026 season. He was hampered by biceps issues this spring after missing the final seven weeks of the 2025 season with a capsular sprain in his shoulder. Hader pitched yesterday and had an encouraging bullpen session, but the team won’t have enough time to bolster him before the season begins, he added. the right wing Brian Abreu It’s very possible that Hader will finish the game for Houston while he’s held off.
Hader’s opening day status has been a persistent question throughout camp. Both the left-hander himself and team officials have repeatedly expressed optimism about the way he progresses through rehabilitation, while also refusing to commit to an Opening Day schedule.
While this is an obvious blow to the Astros’ early-season fortunes, it’s still relatively good news. There is no indication that last year’s shoulder injury has carried over into the 2026 season, and the biceps injury does not appear to be particularly serious. The Astros’ track record when it comes to player injuries is worth keeping in mind, but at this point there seems to be hope that Hader will return to the Espada’s bullpen relatively early in the season.
Abreu, 29 in April, is one of the strongest replacement options any team has for a tight end in all of baseball. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound flamethrower has a 2.30 ERA over the past four seasons in Houston. He punched out at least 31.7% of his opponents in each of his four seasons, and 34.3% overall. Abreu’s 10.4% walk rate could be improved, but he’s so good at missing bats that a slightly higher walk rate hasn’t proven to be much of an issue for him. Abreu hit 97.3 mph on his four-seamer last season, and his 16.6% swing-strike rate from 2022 ranks sixth among 280 big league pitchers who have pitched at least 200 innings in that span. Andres Muñoz, Dylan Lee, Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley).
In the case of Hader, the exact target return date has not yet been determined. His 2025 season will be one of his best. Before the injury, the languid left-hander pitched 52 2/3 innings and had a 2.05 ERA, a 36.9% strikeout rate, a 7.8% walk rate (the second-lowest of his career), and 28 saves in 29 opportunities. He is entering the third season of a five-year, $95 million contract signed prior to the 2024 campaign.
