Arguably, the biggest issue for the 2025 Houston Astros was injuries. The Astros took significant steps in the offseason for more depth on both sides of the plate to remain competitive in case of injury, and also revamped their medical staff. It will be interesting to see if this works. For any MLB team to have significant success, the bullpen has to be good. That was a problem for the Astros at times last season. It became a much bigger issue after closer Josh Hader went down with a left shoulder capsule strain in August and stayed on the injured list for the rest of the season. Hader last pitched two high-stress innings against the New York Yankees on Aug. 9 and reported discomfort shortly after.
Apr 7, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu (79) hands the game ball to relief pitcher Josh Hader (71) after the Astros defeat the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
What All-Star Closer Josh Hader’s Latest Setback Means for Astros
Hader’s 2025 Season
Hader was obviously the best bullpen pitcher for the Astros, and the back of the ‘pen was significantly weaker without him. Houston struggled to hold leads and often gave up runs once starters exited. The Astros obviously need a healthy Hader in order to win against the best. Although his injury prognosis was strong back during the 2025 season, there was no question in anybody’s mind that he would be ready for the start of the 2026 season.
The flame-throwing lefty has established himself as one of the best closers in the game and earned his sixth All-Star selection in 2025. Hader went 28/29 on saves and posted a 2.05 ERA in 52 2/3 innings with a 6-2 record, his best year as an Astro. The 6-foot-3, 188-pound reliever added 76 strikeouts and a .158 opponent average.
He finished his shoulder rehab in November after reaching 87 mph and picked back up in bullpen sessions starting in January. All seemed well.
Spring Setback
Unfortunately for the Astros, that did not look like the case in February. Manager Joe Espada announced on Feb. 11 at the start of spring training that Hader is dealing with biceps tendinitis.
Hader mentioned that he was going into his fourth bullpen session and that one change-up pitch didn’t feel right. He felt it again the next day on the same pitch. The more intense he got in his sessions, the more he felt the discomfort and soreness. Espada said they got imaging done immediately and found inflammation in his bicep tendon.
“The bicep got inflamed, so I took about 10 days off and started to let that heal,” Hader said. Feb. 11 was the first day of catch, and he felt “pretty good”.
“A little setback, but nothing too concerning for me. Just building back up now and getting ready for the season,” Hader said.
Josh Hader said he’s a few weeks behind schedule but felt fine after resuming throwing off flat ground today pic.twitter.com/6pkR0kr5mo
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 11, 2026
Hader’s Recovery
That was two weeks ago, and it looks like he’s progressing on his path back to full strength. It seems as if right now, he is still sticking to flat-ground throwing at West Palm Beach.
Josh Hader is playing catch from about 90 feet pic.twitter.com/0uKhRXu2cD
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 18, 2026
Hader was the American League Reliever of the Month for June and set an Astros record by converting his first 25 save chances of the year. “He had a really good offseason leading into that fourth bullpen session,” Espada said.
More on Hader from Espada pic.twitter.com/21gnopnKME
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 11, 2026
He was throwing around 85 mph in the bullpens before, so he wanted to get back to that at the time. “We’re probably a few weeks behind on getting that arm back to where we need it to be,” Hader said.
Will He Be Ready for Opening Day?
Hader didn’t want to put a specific timetable on whether he’ll be ready for Opening Day and wants to take things as they come to avoid rushing or possibly causing a long-term injury. He’s staying on the cautious side, and that is what Astros fans would want.
With him being a few weeks behind at the start of spring training, he’s likely to miss the first week or so of the season. There is no confirmation of that, but it is looking quite possible. Astros beat writer Chandler Rome believes Hader will indeed miss Opening Day.
On Feb. 20, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that Hader is improving every day playing catch.
Astros Have No Serious Worries on Josh Hader
It doesn’t seem like Hader, Espada, or even Astros GM Dana Brown are too concerned, and even if he misses time, it won’t be too long.
“I think he’s going to be fine. The big thing is he feels really good. At the end of the day, he was building up, and this is expected. You’re going to get soreness when you’re coming off an injury,” Brown said.
Dana Brown on Josh Hader pic.twitter.com/GZaF9LaABa
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 11, 2026
Hader continues to build up, but the Astros will need a plan for the bullpen to start the year, with Bryan Abreu likely handling closing duties at the start. Both Enyel De Los Santos and Nate Pearson won’t be ready either, so Bennett Sousa and Bryan King will have their work cut out for them.
An interesting development has been Kai Wei-Teng, whom the Astros are high on. He could be a name used in the bullpen early. Astros fans have a right to be worried with some injuries already lining up, but Hader is confident in his recovery. Additionally, the offseason added depth to the bullpen.
“We added six arms this offseason, so I feel really confident that we have the coverage,” Brown said.
Main Photo Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images