Report: Astros, closer Josh Hader agree to 5-year, $95M deal

[January 20, 2024]   The Houston Astros are in agreement with free agent All-Star closer Josh Hader on the richest contract in MLB history for a closer: five-year, $95 million, according to multiple reports.

Hader, 29, recorded 33 saves and a 1.28 ERA in 61 relief appearances for the San Diego Padres last season.

The contract includes no deferred salary and Hader would possess a full no-trade clause with the ability to nix any potential deal out of Houston that he doesn't sign off on first.

The left-hander is 20-21 with 165 saves and a 2.50 ERA in 349 career games (no starts) for the Milwaukee Brewers (2017-22) and Padres (2022-23).

He received the National League's Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year award in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Edwin Diaz's five-year, $102.5 million deal with the New York Mets in November 2022 included salary deferrals that reduce the value to about $93.1 million, per ESPN.

Houston's bullpen already includes right-hander Ryan Pressly, a two-time All-Star who collected 31 saves in 2023.

--Field Level Media

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