The Milwaukee Brewers parted ways with closer Josh Hader in 2022. At that time there had been a slight decline in his performance, but the organization had serious doubts about being able to retain him long term. As a result he was traded to the San Diego Padres. After continuing to struggle during the 2022 regular season he managed to string together a good post season and followed that up with an impressive 2023 campaign.
Hader’s efforts, in particular his saves totals, high strikeout numbers, and low ERA’s landed him a massive five year, $95 million deal with the Houston Astros. This year the Astros have not yet got it going and Hader recently angered Houston media with some questionable comments after a frustrating loss.
Josh Hader allowed a walk-off home run during the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels game.
The 2024 Houston Astros have not yet had a record over .500 and have been as many as 12 games under .500. Needing a drastic turn around they were going for a sweep of the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend but a walk-off home run allowed by Josh Hader prevented that.
Walk That Baby Off – No cabbage for you! ✅
Logan O’Hoppe Home Run💥
96.4 MPH 34° 364 Feet📏Logan O’Hoppe homers & Kevin Pillar scores.
85.7 MPH slider thrown by Josh Hader.Astros 7 – #Angels 9 Bottom 9th
Credit: Ballys#LTBU #OHoppe #HOUvsLAA pic.twitter.com/jmK3R2lKLs— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) June 9, 2024
Post game the former Milwaukee Brewers closer had some comments that angered Houston Astros media.
Following the loss Hader was asked about allowing the walk-off home run. His demeanor and comments supposedly angered Houston Astros media.
“I feel like I was executing pitches. It was a 0-0 pitch, a slider. He might have been sitting slider and he just caught me. It sucks. No one wants to lose in walk-off fashion, but at the end of the day, that was what my gut told me. If you want to nitpick, I probably could have thrown it more arm side and down, but what are you going to do?”
Houston Astros media described Josh Hader’s comments post game as ‘questionable’.
In an article from Fansided titled ‘Josh Hader has the worst mentality on Astros ‘nitpicking’ after another tough outing’ a writer did not like Hader’s comments made above. Author Curt Bishop notes that the media was not ‘nickpicking’ him and that he has the wrong mentality of a reliever who is putting up sub-par numbers.
The idea that anybody is nitpicking him isn’t true. It’s also the wrong mentality given the sub-par numbers Hader has posted in 2024 with his new team…If (Houston) is going to make it back to the postseason and return to the ALCS, they are going to need more out of Hader, both in terms of performance and mentality, especially after losses such as Sunday’s.
