Houston Astros closer Josh Hader has been diagnosed with a left shoulder capsule sprain and will be shut down from throwing for “approximately three weeks,” the team announced on Friday afternoon. The Astros will determine Hader’s next steps once that period passes.
Hader, 31, was placed on the injured list earlier this week. Prior to being deactivated, he had amassed a 2.05 ERA (201 ERA+) and a 4.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 28 successful saves in 48 appearances. His contributions had been worth an estimated 2.3 Wins Above Replacement, per the calculations hosted at Baseball Reference.
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Although three weeks doesn’t seem like a long time in the grand scheme of a six-month season, at this point in the year, it accounts for nearly half the remaining schedule. (The Astros will play their final game of the campaign on Sept. 28.) Factor in how Hader would need time to rebuild arm strength, and the math starts to get fuzzy if he suffers a setback in his attempted return.
The Astros have used Bennett Sousa and Bryan Abreu to close out their last two save opportunities. Manager Joe Espada has not committed to any single reliever, suggesting that he’ll continue to mix and match based on matchups and availability.
The Astros will begin a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Houston’s 68-53 record puts them 1 ½ games up in the American League West over the Seattle Mariners — the Mariners, it should be noted, will be taking on the New York Mets. The Astros held a seven-game advantage over Seattle as recently as July 6.
Hader is the latest notable Astros player to be placed on the shelf, joining outfielder/DH Yordan Alvarez, third baseman Isaac Paredes, and pitchers Ronel Blanco, Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr., and Brandon Walter.