Inside the Astros

Houston Astros Superstar Closer Finally Living Up To Historic Contract

The Houston Astros' elite closer is back in top form after an underwhelming 2024 campaign.
Tyler Maher|
Apr 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (71) reacts after the final out during the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Daikin Park.
Apr 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (71) reacts after the final out during the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Daikin Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Josh Hader is under a lot of pressure.

Not only does he have one of the most stressful jobs in baseball as the Houston Astros' closer, but he also has to deal with incredibly high expectations after signing the largest contract in MLB history (five years, $95 million) for a reliever.

Perhaps that pressure got to Hader a bit last year, as he struggled in his first season with the Astros. The five-time All-Star went 8-8 with the second-worst ERA (3.80) and FIP (3.50) of his career, causing some to wonder if his best days were behind him after a number of uncharacteristically shaky performances.

Fortunately, they aren't. The 31-year-old lefty is off to an incredible start this season and pitching better than ever, finally living up to the hype as well as his massive contract.

After closing out Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, Hader has converted all seven of his save opportunities this season. He also has a 0.69 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings, helping Houston go 11-0 in his appearances.

That's more like it. That's the type of shutdown closer the Astros thought they were getting when they gave Hader all that money after the 2023 season.

With Houston's offense struggling, Hader has been extra valuable this season with all of the team's close games. He's been lights-out in all of them, and he's a big reason why the Astros are 13-11 now after their slow start.

If Hader keeps it up, he should be rewarded with another All-Star selection this summer and perhaps his fourth Reliever of the Year award. His impressive career appears to be back on track.

Meanwhile, Houston is getting exactly what it paid for: an automatic closer who blows opponents away and shortens the game by one inning.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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