Josh Hader failed to come through when the Houston Astros needed him the most.

Houston's high-priced closer entered a 2–2 game in the top of the eighth inning Wednesday afternoon, as his team faced elimination from the playoffs. Trailing the Detroit Tigers 1-0 in the American League wild-card series, Hader stepped to the mound with two on and two outs, needing just one out to rescue his team. He couldn't do it.

Hader walked Spencer Torkelson on four pitches to load the bases, then grooved a 1-2 sinker to Any Ibanez, who hammered it down the left field line for a bases-clearing double to give the Tigers a 5–2 lead.

Hader was able to get out of the inning without surrendering any more runs but the damage was done. Detroit closed out the game and secured a 5–2 win, earning the Tigers a matchup with the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS.

That performance is likely not what the Astros had in mind when they handed Hader a five-year, $95 million deal in the offseason. It was the second-richest contract given to a closer in Major League Baseball history, and the 30-year-old didn't quite live up to it.

Hader finished the 2024 campaign 8–8 with a 3.80 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and 105 strikeouts against 25 walks in 71 innings. He had 34 saves in 38 opportunities, but only produced 0.6 WAR.

And when his team needed him to step up the most, he failed to do so.


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Astros Closer Josh Hader Crumbles in Season-Ending Loss to Tigers.