All-Star Closer Josh Hader Inks Massive Contract With Houston Astros

The Houston Astros just made former Padres and Brewers closer Josh Hader one of the highest-paid relievers in MLB history, signing him to a $95 million deal on Friday.

The Houston Astros have signed free agent closer Josh Hader to a multi-year deal, ESPN's Jeff Passan and others reported Friday afternoon.

According to Passan, Hader's contract will be worth $95 million over five years. That is the largest contract the Astros have handed out to a free agent since owner Jim Crane took over in 2011.

The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported that Hader will earn a $1 million bonus for winning either the Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year Award. There also won't be any deferred money in Hader's contract, per Sherman.

Multiple reports pegged Houston as a leading contender to sign Hader on Thursday.

BREAKING: Star closer Josh Hader and the Houston Astros are in agreement on a five-year, $95 million contract, a source tells ESPN.

The deal contains no deferrals. It is the largest present-day value contract for a relief pitcher in baseball history.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 19, 2024

Hader was the top free agent reliever on the market, coming off another All-Star campaign with the San Diego Padres in 2023. Since making his major league debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017, Hader has a 2.50 ERA, 0.944 WHIP, 15.0 strikeouts per nine innings and 165 saves under his belt.

The 29-year-old left-hander was looking to break the record for the largest contract ever signed by a closer, but he came up just short. The New York Mets gave Edwin Diaz a five-year, $102 million contract last offseason.

Hader is a five-time All-Star and three-time Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award winner, making him the one most decorated active closers. He went 2-3 with a 1.28 ERA, 1.101 WHIP, 13.6 strikeouts per nine innings, 33 saves and a 2.4 WAR in 2023.

The Astros were not considered to be in the market for Hader until very recently, when veteran set-up man Kendall Graveman was ruled out for the 2024 with a shoulder injury. Even though they already had All-Star right-hander Ryan Pressly in-house, Houston apparently wasn't ready to put all of its late-inning work on one arm.

Between Hader and Pressly, the Astros now boast one of the highest-profile one-two bullpen punches in all of baseball – one left and one righty. Right-hander Bryan Abreu, who posted a 1.75 ERA in 2023, remains on the roster as well.

Houston's 2024 payroll is now projected to exceed the competitive luxury tax threshold of $237 million.

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