Hader is a lot of money. I started thinking about what it means for the future of the Astros. I am not going to go too far ahead, but whatever we think we are in 2024, I think we're about the same in 2025 minus one key player.

Here is the roster with payroll.



There are 5 question marks - Verlander, Altuve, Bregman, Pressly, & Graveman.

Verlander - likely back
JV is set to make 43.33 M in 24. The Mets are covering 26.25 M. Basically, JV costs us 17 M.

If JV pitches 140 innings in 2024, he gets a player option for 2025 of 35 M. JV has eclipsed 140 in every season, but 3.

• 1. Debut - I assume Sept call up.
• 2. 2020 when he pitched a game and blew out his elbow (Covid year so he couldn't have anyway)
• 3. 2021 while recovering from TJ.

Evan at 39 and 40 after TJ, Verlander pitched 175 & 162.1 innings. Anything can happen, but odds are he will vest and get the player option for another 35 M. Like 224, the Mets are on the hook for enough of it to make it around 17 M for Houston.

Does JV take the player option? I am betting, yes. I don't think there will be a market for a guy heading into his age 42 season that will be anything close to 35 M.

Aluve - likely back
He's the face of the franchise. I don't think the fans will let Crane live without keeping Jose. Between the relationship with the city, Joe Espada, and familiarity with the city I think Jose wants to stay. It's just a matter of how much. Old hitters don't break the bank.

Bregman - gone
We all love him, but I think this is Bregman's shot to break the bank. IDK if 300 M is in the cards, but why not 200+ with a good 2024? The Hader signing kind of breaks the mold we had for how Crane handles mega deals, but if anyone gets one it is probably a 2026 FA, not 2025.

Pressly - likely back
As things stand now, Pressly and the Astros have a mutual option for 2025. Those things rarely get exercised. BUT if Ryan makes 50 appearances in '23 and '24, the option becomes guaranteed. Pressly has hit 65 last year and has hit 50 in 7 of the last 8 years with 60 game Covid being the only "miss".

Graveman - gone
With so much money committed to the pen, I can't see us spending more to bring back someone coming off an injury. Not much to it.

I think we all agree we're poised to make a serious run in 24. We are the favorites in the AL. On paper, we should be just as good (healthier?) in '25 minus Bregman. We need to keep an eye on Zach Dezenzo's development. I could see a 2022 Correa to Pena repeat. The difference is Dezenzo isn't a wizard with the glove, but he projects better than Pena with the bat.

Long story short - we're going back to back.

Going to trial out Hader gifs in anticipation of the season.

Hader getting welcomed to the clubhouse.



Hader before his first appearance. I need to decide who in the bullpen is going to be NoHo Hank. Too bad Hank COnger isn't on the team anymore.



When Ranger fans say it's not that big of a signing.



I'm going to use the **** out of this one, from SKeleton Twins.



Note to self, don't use during a series with the Rangers or catch a ban.



At the end of every save.



At the end of every scoreless inning.

And we get a 4th for Bregman leaving instead of a 2nd since we're well over the CBT.

Was signing Josh Hader on Friday an overreaction to Kendall Graveman's season-ending surgery or a shift in the Astros' entire philosophy under Jim Crane? Either way, Crane's first approach toward his franchise's crossroads resulted in an all-in move - https://t.co/h3AoVGQ6ia

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) January 20, 2024

The move to temporarily host the A’s has shifted to Salt Lake City. Sports officials releasing this statement moments ago @Athletics #Athletics pic.twitter.com/LWK3UInqZU

— Chris Maathuis (@sports8) January 19, 2024

Oakland will play on salt lake city until they get a stadium in Vegas

It all hinges on opening the vault for Tucker. I don't see why you give 5 years to a reliever, otherwise... Altuve is going to be a forever Astro in my mind, but I think it'll be Tuck over Bregman if that's the choice in the team's mind.

So Jim Crane proved he can spend big on free agents.

I would like to see him extend Kyle Tucker now.

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) January 19, 2024

Josh Hader on joining the Astros pic.twitter.com/Y8lHHGfULP

— FAX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFAX) January 19, 2024

EastCoastAgNc said:

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The move to temporarily host the A’s has shifted to Salt Lake City. Sports officials releasing this statement moments ago @Athletics #Athletics pic.twitter.com/LWK3UInqZU

— Chris Maathuis (@sports8) January 19, 2024

Oakland will play on salt lake city until they get a stadium in Vegas

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So Oakland is now the Salt Lake City A's before becoming the Las Vegas A's?

What a **** show.

When he throws a nasty sinker to end an inning

Beware of relievers leaving the Rays. They use and abuse them. Perfect fit for the Angels.

The 2014 Lancaster JetHawks had a squad. Carlos Correa, Teoscar Hernández and Tony Kemp each took at least 290 plate appearances. Josh Hader, Lance McCullers Jr. and Chris Devenski each threw at least 76 innings. Sixteen total big leaguers played for them.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) January 20, 2024

How is anyone not incredibly optimistic for 2024? Going into the offseason I thought we'd never make a major signing due to where our payroll stood.

But the thing is, we made major additions next year without having to sign anyone:

• We gain the best hitting catcher in baseball
• We gain LMJ and Garcia
• We gain a Manager that will put the best players on the field
• We gain the best closer in baseball

We lose potentially Nerris, Maton, Stanek and Graveman (injury). But Graveman never contributed much in 2023 anyways. Nerris and Maton will sting a bit, but we have a ton of options with Urquidy, Brown, Garcia, LMJ, Coleman, and Whitley to fill some of those roles.

Starting Pitching:

Justin Verlander
Framber Valdez
Christian Javier
JP France*
Hunter Brown*

Starting Lineup:

Altuve
Bregman
Tucker
Alvarez
Diaz
Abreu
McCormick
Pena
Meyers

Relievers:

Hader
Pressly
Abreu
Montero
Urquidy
Garcia*
LMJ*
Coleman
Whitley

* May be interchangeable as starts/relievers.

The Astros have the best 7-8-9 in Baseball, one of the best starting rotations in baseball, and one of the best lineups in baseball as long as they remain healthy. We are a MASSIVE upgrade over 2023 just by the addition of Diaz and Hader alone, let alone getting back Garcia/LMJ, and subtracting Dusty. You also hope that certain players revert back to what they are capable of, such as Framber and Christian. And maybe Montero at least salvages some value even if he'll never get close to the end of 2022 performance. We won't have a manager that overplays aging veterans like Abreu, who clearly did better with more rest.

Remember: We should have made it to the WS and won a title if we had a manager that played the best players on the field. Obviously health is the big risk/concern, but there's no reason why we can't get back to 100+ win season again and have a strong shot at the WS.

The cost of Hader was high, but let's put it this way - we are paying the best reliever in baseball who has had some of the most consistent performance and durability in the league and is within his prime window as a pitcher. He is GUARANTEED to be a playoff pitcher almost every single game. We signed Montero to only a few million less per year than Hader and he HARDLY EVER PLAYED in the playoffs this past year.

Worth it? Hell yes. His value gets MUCH higher for the post season, where star relievers are that much more critical compared to merely "decent/average" relievers that still cost quite a bit of money in this market. I'm OK with paying Star talent what they are worth in their prime. I'm NOT OK with terrible contracts of aging players with only 1 year of good performance. Some players are clearly worth paying the going rate for, others, not so much.

Also nice they haven't had to part with anyone for these upgrades so far (well, other than the pick for signing Hader). Keeping Brown, Urquidy, and Chas is nice, especially with them being under control.

Maybe Forrest Whitley finally makes it to The Show this year?

About the only thing at this point for the bullpen that would be nice are a couple multi-innings guys. With the excess of starting pitchers seems natural that will be a role for the odd man out of the starting rotation.

Maybe we see a catcher with MLB experience added to Sugar Land?

Out there idea: I see Joey Gallo is unsigned.....

I mean, if Crane is feeling like loosening the purse strings, Matt Chapman....

Another plus for 2024 though is Bregman is in a contract year.

I'd still like to sign Maton. If not him then Matt Moore.

Ichiro was unbelievable pic.twitter.com/KdhVU9bhBt

— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) January 19, 2024

Josh Hader has been "the player who never should have got away from us" in my mind for years.

tjack16 said:

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Is it possible that Melton passes Meyers during spring training?

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0%. He has a long way to go.

Some in the organization are high on him. Some aren't. From what I've seen from him, he has such a wide range of outcomes. He has to get his strikeouts under control and improve his contract rate. He's not super young anymore (turning 24 this year and has played just a handful of games in AA) and that's also a concern. That said, if he can improve in those areas and get on base at a higher clip, they think he can lead baseball in stolen bases.

He might be the Astros top prospect according to most rankings, but I think Zach Dezenzo is the guy the organization considers their #1 prospect. They like him a lot.

Although it's mostly Cruise I still like this celebratory Hader: