Josh Hader Injury Update
Josh Hader, the Astros’ unflappable closer, has been benched for the first time in his nine-year career due to a left shoulder capsule strain, the team disclosed on August 15. It’s a twist no one expected, especially mid-August during a mad dash for the postseason.
The update is that he won’t throw for about three weeks, possibly longer if complications arise with rehab and regaining strength. Lorenzo (@lorenzodelgad0) shared on Twitter that the Houston Astros announced left-handed pitcher Josh Hader has been diagnosed with a “left shoulder capsule sprain.”
Let that sink in: the guy with 28 saves in 48 games and a glitzy 2.05 ERA has to sit, just as Houston is holding a thin lead atop the American League West. For fans who measure summer in strikeouts and jaw-clenching saves... this stings.
Even general manager Dana Brown tried to spin it positively (“Any time you can focus on rehab, that’s preferable”), but you could hear the sigh between his sentences. If you’re the type who checks the standings every morning, you already know just how dicey things feel.
How Did the Injury Happen?
Hader first reported shoulder discomfort to the team on Monday, and after consulting with a medical professional, it was determined to be a left shoulder capsule strain. There wasn’t some dramatic crash or headline-grabbing moment mid-game; more of a creeping ache that finally had him waving the white flag. It’s a bit like when you keep ignoring that rattle in your car because you need it to get to work, only to have the mechanic tell you it’s a bigger deal.
He’d just thrown 36 pitches over two innings against the Yankees on Friday, and then warmed up in Sunday’s win but never actually got in. Some fans noticed he didn’t look quite right, but hey, Hader’s usually a machine you assume he’ll power through. Well, not this time.
A few years back, he breezed through a COVID-injured list stint; this shoulder thing, though, is way more disruptive. Houston manager Joe Espada even called it “a punch in the gut.” Those are the words you say when you haven’t just lost a star, you’ve lost the engine in your playoff car.
When Did Astros Reveal Return?
The Astros say: best-case scenario, Hader could resume throwing after three weeks, meaning around September if you start counting from the announcement on August 15. But that’s just reviewing the calendar, not reality. He’ll need time to build up his arm strength, and if he’s lucky, rejoin the team before end-of-regular season. If there are any hiccups or soreness during rehab, Houston could be chasing a division crown without their ace closer.
Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) posted on Twitter that Astros GM Dana Brown confirmed Josh Hader will rehab for three weeks before being reevaluated. Brown revealed Hader has a left shoulder capsule strain and, given the circumstances, views the diagnosis as a positive outcome.
For now, Astros fans, consider it a waiting game. And if you see someone nervously checking their phone every inning, pretty good chance they’re thinking about Hader’s shoulder.
