Astros get terrifying update for rest of American League as Josh Hader nears return

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Astros get terrifying update for rest of American League as Josh Hader nears return originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Houston Astros are about to get one of baseball’s most dominant relievers back, and that should concern the rest of the American League.Josh Hader is now on the verge of returning from the injured list after another strong update emerged from his rehab assignment this week. According to Astros beat writer Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Hader is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Sugar Land on both Wednesday and Thursday, which is expected to be the final hurdle before Houston activates him.

That is potentially massive news for an Astros team that has quietly stayed competitive despite missing one of the most feared closers in baseball all season.

The Astros may be getting their biggest weapon back​

Hader has not thrown a pitch for Houston in 2026 because of left biceps tendinitis, but every recent sign points toward the six-time All-Star looking fully healthy again. His rehab numbers have been dominant.

Entering Wednesday, Hader had allowed just one run while striking out 11 batters across seven rehab innings. The Astros have carefully managed his workload throughout May, but the results have looked exactly like the overpowering version Houston expected when it built the bullpen around him.

That is bad news for everybody else in the AL.

MORE: Jordan Walker’s breakout is changing everything for the Cardinals

Houston stayed alive without him, which is the scary part​

Even without Hader, the Astros entered Wednesday at 28-25 and firmly in the middle of the AL West race. Houston has survived with a closer-by-committee approach, leaning heavily on Bryan Abreu in late innings, but the bullpen has clearly lacked the intimidating ninth-inning presence Hader brings.

When healthy, there are very few relievers in baseball capable of matching his dominance. Last season, Hader converted 28 of 29 save chances while posting a 2.08 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a microscopic .167 batting average. He also struck out 89 batters in just 61 appearances, continuing a career-long trend of overpowering hitters regardless of matchup.

The Astros bullpen suddenly looks dangerous again​

That kind of arm completely changes the structure of Houston’s bullpen. Suddenly, games become shorter. Leads in the seventh inning start feeling safe again. Opposing lineups know they may only have six innings before facing a bullpen loaded with swing-and-miss stuff.

And perhaps most importantly for Houston, Hader’s return arrives at the perfect time. The Astros have remained afloat despite injuries and inconsistency throughout parts of the roster, but getting an elite closer back in early June could dramatically stabilize the team heading into the summer stretch. Houston’s pitching staff already entered Wednesday with a strong 3.66 team ERA, and adding Hader back into the late-inning mix only raises the ceiling.

The scary part for the rest of the league is that the Astros have stayed relevant without him. Now they may be getting their biggest bullpen weapon back just as the division race starts heating up.

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