Houston Astros News

Deadspin | Spring training roundup: Tatsuya Imai, Astros shut down Marlins Deadspin | Spring training roundup: Tatsuya Imai, Astros shut down Marlins

10 HOURS AGO • DEADSPIN.COM

Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader to start season on 15-day injured list, will miss opening day

Houston Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader will begin the season on the 15-day injured list

16 HOURS AGO • Associated Press

Astros get bad news on Josh Hader for Opening Day amid shoulder injury | Sporting News This is not a good sign for the Astros for Hader.

20 HOURS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

5 players who have a strong case to make Houston's Opening Day roster This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it reg...

20 HOURS AGO • MLB.COM

Behind schedule in recovery, Hader to open season on injured list Astros closer Josh Hader will start the season on the injured list, manager Joe Espada told reporters on Wednesday morning. Houston will ope...

21 HOURS AGO • MLB.COM

Bryan Abreu - Set for interim closer duties Abreu is expected to open the season as the Astros' closer while Josh Hader (biceps) recuperates, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact Hader is throwing off the mound again and might not miss much time, but manager Joe Espada ruled him out for Opening Day. Abreu has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the past four regular seasons, posting a 2.30 ERA and 34.3 percent strikeout rate. Hader will get his closer job back, if healthy, but he remains an injury risk, so it's not out of the question that Abreu's stint as closer lasts indefinitely.

21 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Cristian Javier - Away from team for personal matter Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Javier will be away from the club for the next few days while tending to a personal matter, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact Citing privacy, Espada didn't provide any further information regarding Javier's upcoming absence, but the skipper noted that the right-hander will continue to throw while he remains away. Javier tossed 1.2 innings and 52 pitches in his Grapefruit League debut Monday, so as long as he's able to return to the team in time to make another start before spring training ends, he should be able to handle something close to a normal workload when his first turn in the rotation comes up during the regular season.

21 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Josh Hader - Will begin season on injured list Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Hader (biceps) will begin the season on the injured list, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact Hader returned to the mound with a bullpen session Tuesday, which went well. However, he's simply going to run out of time when it comes to Opening Day availability. Espada did not offer a timetable for Hader's season debut, but it seems that the reliever's absence could be brief if he continues making strides with his recovery from left biceps inflammation. Bryan Abreu will open the season as Houston's closer.

21 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Hader throws 1st spring bullpen, but Opening Day status up in air WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- As the calendar creeps closer towards the middle of March -- and with Opening Day a little more than two weeks away...

1 DAY AGO • MLB.COM

Inside Tatsuya Imai's 'very rare' Spring Training practice routine with Astros | Sporting News This is unusual for an MLB pitcher.

1 DAY AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Astros Closer Josh Hader to Begin Season on IL

Notable news, notes and buzz with MLB spring training ramping up ahead of the World Baseball Classic and Opening Day.

1 DAY AGO • FOX SPORTS

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Astros Closer Josh Hader to Begin Season on IL

Josh Hader - Pleased with bullpen session Hader (biceps) said that it was "all positives" during a 15-pitch bullpen session Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Throwing from the mound for the first time since he developed left biceps inflammation prior to reporting to Astros camp, Hader was pleased with his velocity, the action his his pitches and his mechanics during the bullpen session. When asked about his potential availability for Opening Day, Hader didn't dismiss the possibility, saying only, "we'll see." The consensus is that a stint on the 15-day injured list to begin the season is likely, but it's possible Hader could change the Astros' minds if he looks good over the next couple weeks.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Jayden Murray - Sent to minor-league camp The Astros optioned Murray to minor-league camp Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Murray has made five appearances this spring, yielding five runs with a 7:5 K:BB across six innings. The 28-year-old will provide relief depth at Triple-A Sugar Land.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Houston Astros Unsurprisingly Send Top Prospects Back to Minor League Camp The Houston Astros made another edition of spring training reassignments, but today's round came with a little more emotion than usual. This...

2 DAYS AGO • SI.COM

Astros predicted to trade Isaac Paredes for Shohei Ohtani's $90M, 4-time All-Star teammate | Sporting News This has been a move the Astros have been looking to make for some time now.

2 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Hunter Brown - Dominant in spring Brown pitched four scoreless innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, issuing just two walks while striking out nine.

Impact Brown was nearly untouchable Sunday as he struck out nine of the 11 batters he faced. So far this spring, Brown's allowed just one run over 8.2 innings while racking up 14 strikeouts. The right-hander, who's already been announced as the Astros' Opening Day starter, is expected to anchor Houston's rotation in 2026 after pitching to a 2.43 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP and 206 strikeouts in 31 starts (185.1 innings) last season.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Cam Smith - Homers Sunday Smith went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League matchup against the Nationals.

Impact Smith opened the scoring Sunday with a 440-foot blast off Orlando Ribalta, his first long ball this spring. After going 2-for-13 in his first six Grapefruit League contests, Smith has gone 3-for-6 with a pair of extra-base hits in his last two games. It's certainly a positive sign for the 23-year-old, as he looks to claim a spot on Houston's Opening Day roster.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Josh Hader - Set for bullpen session Tuesday Hader (biceps) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact It will be Hader's first time throwing off a mound since he developed left biceps inflammation before reporting to Astros camp. While he has not yet been officially ruled out for Opening Day, Hader is unlikely to be able to avoid a stint on the injured list. That would set up Bryan Abreu to be utilized as the Astros' closer at the beginning of the season.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Enyel De Los Santos - Slated to face hitters Friday De Los Santos (knee) is expected to complete one more bullpen session before facing hitters in live batting practice Friday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact The upcoming live BP session will represent the final checkpoint De Los Santos will need to hit in his recovery from a right knee strain before gaining clearance to make his Grapefruit League debut. De Los Santos worked mainly in middle relief between stops with Atlanta and Houston last season, picking up six wins and six holds and submitting a 4.36 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 62:24 K:BB across 66 innings.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Abreu, Javier's unique friendship has crossed both countries and decades WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Spend any time around Astros camp this year and you can’t help but notice two players seemingly doing everything to...

3 DAYS AGO • MLB.COM

Australian starter flourishes vs. Japan, but his brothers steal the show TOKYO -- Connor MacDonald wasn’t supposed to be a pitcher. The Brisbane native actually began his career as a first baseman and outfielder,...

3 DAYS AGO • MLB.COM

Jason Alexander - Cut from big-league camp The Astros optioned Alexander to minor-league camp Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact The veteran right-hander had a 4.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 65:26 K:BB across 77.1 innings between Atlanta and Houston last season but was never a likely bet to crack the Astros' Opening Day roster. Alexander is likely to work out of the rotation at Triple-A Sugar Land to begin 2026 and could get another look in the majors as a swingman at some point this year.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

MLB The Show in real life: Marlins call pitches with ... video game controller? WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- “MLB The Show” saw its realism peak thanks to Marlins right-hander Chris Paddack on Saturday afternoon. Paddack jok...

4 DAYS AGO • MLB.COM

Astros sign catcher Christian Vázquez to minor league deal, invite him to big league spring training

The Houston Astros have signed catcher Christian Vázquez to a minor league deal and invited him to big league spring training

4 DAYS AGO • Associated Press

Carlos Correa - Returning Monday Correa (neck) will resume playing in the Grapefruit League on Monday against the Cardinals, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact It's worth noting that Correa will be starting at shortstop during his return to play -- something that may become more common while Jeremy Pena sits with a fractured finger. If Pena's absence extends into the regular season, Correa would slide back over to shortstop while Isaac Paredes starts at the hot corner.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

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Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader to start season on 15-day injured list, will miss opening day

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Astros Closer Josh Hader to Begin Season on IL

Astros sign catcher Christian Vázquez to minor league deal, invite him to big league spring training

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PLAYER NEWS

Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader to start season on 15-day injured list, will miss opening day

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Astros Closer Josh Hader to Begin Season on IL

Astros sign catcher Christian Vázquez to minor league deal, invite him to big league spring training