Inside The Padres

Padres News: Former Closer Booed For Attempting Four-Out Save in San Diego

Maren Angus-Coombs

Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images
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The boos rained down mercilessly as Josh Hader emerged from the Houston Astros bullpen in the eighth inning Tuesday to begin his multi-inning save attempt at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres.

The former San Diego closer refused to appear in multi-inning save situations while pitching for the Padres, making this appearance as awkward as it was intense.

Hader usually thrives in hostile environments.

“I love this ballpark,” Hader said afterward. “I love pitching here. Obviously, I love the boos. Living rent-free is always a good time.”

Except this opportunity didn't go Hader's way. It began with a pitch-timer violation, but that was changed to a disengagement after a rules check by the umpiring crew.

His first pitch went wild, getting past catcher Yainer Diaz and allowing Fernando Tatis Jr. to score from third to tie the game. The run was charged to Ryan Pressly, but Hader's four-out save attempt was blown after one pitch.

“I think at the end of the day it’s momentum-based, I’m coming out of the bullpen getting ready to face a guy and then I’ve got to sit for 10 minutes, I mean I would say that would probably be the biggest thing,” Hader said. “At the end of the day, I yanked a slider down. It’s not like I executed the pitch so that probably would have happened either way maybe. Who knows? But I’d say it definitely changed the momentum a little bit early.”

However, Hader got the last laugh by earning the win after retiring the side in order in the ninth and the Astros pulling out the win in the 10th.

At the end of Tuesday's postgame meeting with the media, Hader was in high spirits, and it was easy to see why.

The 30-year-old lefty has been on a roll after a rough start to 2024, entering October as one of baseball’s most dominant relievers. On Tuesday night, he needed only 12 pitches to record four outs, including two strikeouts. Since Aug. 1, Hader has secured 10 saves and given up just three earned runs in 19 appearances.

With his five-year, $95 million deal from the Astros locked in, Hader went more than an inning against his old team on Tuesday. When a reporter asked if it was ironic that he got four outs in San Diego for his new team, Hader just laughed.

“Enough said,” Hader replied.

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Maren Angus-Coombs

MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite being raised in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer for the LA Sports Report Network.

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