Josh Hader's first spring warmup made Astros Opening Day decision rather easy

Josh Hader threw his first bullpen session of the spring a couple days ago, and by all accounts, the Houston Astros closer sounded rather pleased with his performance. But once it was revealed that he hit just 87 mph on the radar gun, the writing was on the wall. There's no way Hader is going to be ready for Opening Day.

Astros manager Joe Espada, talking to reporters on Wednesday morning, confirmed as much. Hader will begin the 2026 season on the 15-day IL, but there's hope that his stint with be an abbreviated one. Whether or not Hader goes on a rehab assignment or just stays behind in Florida is not yet know.

Astros closer Josh Hader will open the 2026 season on the injured list

This is certainly a blow for the Astros, but it's not necessarily unexpected. Even if Hader's bullpen session went swimmingly, he hadn't thrown a ball in six week and hadn't seen live, in-game action since last September. It took Espada and the Astros organization long enough to come to that conclusion, but this was always the most likely outcome.

Hader missed the final two months of the 2025 with a left should capsule strain and he was behind once camp began back in February. Biceps tendinitis further slowed Hader's recovery, and is the biggest reason why he'll miss the start of the 2026 season.

Hader's first bullpen session saw the left-hander throw 15 pitches — all fastballs. Not a single one was said to register above 87 mph. Even though Espada told Hader to dial it back, seeing that number helped Houston's decision-makers see just how behind Hader really is at this point in time.

Hader's absence from the Astros' Opening Day roster will now give setup man Byran Abreu a chance to shine as the team's closer to open the year. He filled in admirably for Hader at the tail-end of the 2025 season, and could use this opportunity as a means to bolster his free agency stock heading into next offseason.

Espada still has to figure out who else will be leaving West Palm Beach with a ticket for Houston. Several relievers have been impressive throughout the spring, and he'll need to have those decisions finalized within the next week or so.