Hader, the six-time All-Star, was reinstated from the injured list prior to the Astros’ series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. Houston optioned right-hander Logan VanWey to Triple-A following its game Sunday against the Brewers to clear a spot for Hader.
The move completes Hader’s return from two separate injuries. Hader missed the end of last season due to a shoulder capsule strain that curtailed a year in which he compiled a 2.05 ERA, went 28-for-29 in save opportunities and received an All-Star selection.
It was Hader’s first time on the injured list in his major-league career. This spring, Hader reported to Astros camp dealing with biceps tendinitis. His recovery and subsequent build-up sidelined him for the Astros’ first 61 games. Hader has said the two injuries were not related.
Ideally for Houston, Hader’s return can further stabilize a bullpen that owns the majors’ second-highest ERA but showed signs of improvement in May. The Astros compiled a 3.27 ERA last month that rated as the 11th-lowest in the sport.
With Hader closing games, Houston can deploy Bryan King, Enyel De Los Santos and Bryan Abreu in set-up roles. King and De Los Santos have combined for 10 of the team’s 15 saves this year. Abreu struggled acutely as interim closer early in the season and still has a 6.87 ERA as a result.
This is Hader’s third season of a five-year, $95 million deal with Houston. He totaled a 3.06 ERA and 62 saves in 119 appearances over the first two seasons.
After several years of not working multi-inning outings in the regular season, Hader logged 14 outings over the last two seasons in which he recorded more than three outs. That included his final outing (36 pitches in two innings) in New York last season before he landed on the injured list.
Manager Joe Espada has said that upon Hader’s return the Astros do not plan to use him for more than three outs in his appearances, at least initially. Hader did pitch on back-to-back days on a minor-league rehab assignment last week, so that does figure to be an option for Houston.
Hader made nine rehab appearances in the minors last month, all of which lasted one inning or less, a likely precursor of how the Astros will use him.
Hader rejoins a Houston team that is 27-34 and dealt with a rash of early injuries. It is still without ace Hunter Brown, who is targeting a mid-June return from a shoulder strain, as well as two other starters from its initial rotation, Cristian Javier (shoulder strain) and Lance McCullers Jr. (elbow inflammation).
Third baseman Carlos Correa is out for the season after ankle surgery. Second baseman Jose Altuve and catcher Yainer Diaz are both rehabbing from oblique muscle strains. Hader’s return, however, should be a significant step toward Houston getting healthier.