The Houston Astros are determined to avoid a repeat of the 2023 season in 2024. They refuse to let their division rival, the Texas Rangers, dominate them in the playoffs and win the World Series again. The Astros have a highly skilled team with established performers both in the regular season and postseason. They boast star players like Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Alex Bregman, as well as up-and-comers like Kyle Tucker, Yainer Diaz, and Jeremy Pena. Their pitching staff is also strong, led by the top two starters from their 2022 championship-winning team, Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez. To strengthen their bullpen after losing Hector Neris, they made a significant move by signing left-hander Josh Hader to a record-breaking five-year, $95 million contract. Hader has proven himself deserving of this contract with his impressive career ERA of 2.50. FOX Sports: MLB shared a video of Hader showcasing his skills during a bullpen session, demonstrating his effortless throwing motion. With his deceptive fastball and lethal breaking ball, Hader has saved 165 games before even turning 30, along with an impressive 648 career strikeouts in just 388.2 innings pitched. Coming off a remarkable 2023 season with the San Diego Padres, where he achieved an astonishingly low ERA of 1.28 in 56.1 innings, Hader is set to make a significant impact in the Astros bullpen alongside Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly.
According to the Source thecoldwire.com