Astros dealt major blow to pitching staff ahead of season opener

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12 March 2026 at 20:25

The hope is that this all would be over. Let’s be clear, injuries are a part of the game. That’s especially the case when we are talking about pitchers. We can fill endless articles on that topic, but this isn’t the forum. The focus today is that the Houston Astros are forced to begin the 2026 season with an All-Star who is a vital part of their pitching staff. Josh Hader is now officially beginning the 2026 season on the Injured List.

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Injuries were a big problem last season, too:

Aug 5, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Josh Hader (71) celebrates defeating the Miami Marlins following the game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

While it doesn’t mean we have to like it or accept it, we have become sensitized to injuries. But from the perspective of the Astros last year, things were truly next level. There were multiple reasons as to why they missed the playoffs, but health figured prominently. It’s pretty difficult to win baseball games if you don’t have healthy pitchers taking the mound.

For most of last season, though, the back end of the bullpen was a constant for the Astros. Getting there wasn’t always easy and smooth, but Bryan Abreu had the eighth inning under control and Hader took care of the ninth inning with ease.

Yes, left-handers Steven Okert and Bryan King also found success and were key parts of the bullpen, but it really was Hader and Abreu who set the stage in shortening the game. That took a detour in August when Hader was forced to the Injured List with a shoulder injury that ultimately ended his season.

This offseason:

Aug 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (71) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

So far this off-season, things have been progressing well for Hader in his rehab. Well, until they weren’t. When we got to the start of Spring Training, Hader was experiencing biceps soreness, which caused him to be shut down. While Hader is just now back throwing off a mound, there’s not enough time for him to be ramped up for Opening Day.

What the 9th inning could look like:

Sep 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) reacts after the final out during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Shifting Abreu to ninth-inning duties isn’t as much a concern as what will unfold in front of him. The downstream impact of pushing Okert and King back, and the fact that they are both left-handed, could create some problems.

The under-the-radar additions of Kai-Wei Teng and Nate Pearson could play into the late innings as well and could provide sneaky value. Whatever way you spin it, the injury to Hader is less than ideal. But the good news is that Hader appears to be progressing well, so the absence should be relatively short-term.