X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Josh Hader Signs With The Astros: Fantasy Impact

Josh Hader - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

There are very few things more volatile in the fantasy landscape than closers. MLB teams continue to adapt and use their bullpens differently to gain an edge. That has left very few elite fantasy closers with more teams opting to go match-ups over having one ninth-inning option.

It's not often an elite closer hits the free-agent market so it should have come as no surprise when the Astros opted to give out a five-year contract worth $95 million to one of the best relievers we've seen in recent times.

Where does this signing leave the players involved, how does it impact the Astros and what's next for the remaining free-agent relievers? Don't forget to keep up to date with all your preseason fantasy baseball needs by following RotoBaller on X.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

Not all regression is the same

It was a nice bounceback season for Josh Hader in 2023. After putting up a 5.22 ERA in 2022, everyone expected him to get back to something like his former self last year. Hader did, with a 2-3 W-L record, 1.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 85 Ks and 33 saves. It was the third straight year of recording 30 or more saves and at least 80 strikeouts.

However, a look at Hader's underlying numbers suggests he's been gradually declining over the last three years.

Year IP ERA xFIP SIERA FB% HR/FB% K% K-BB% Blown saves
2021 58.2 1.23 2.35 2.09 46.3% 6.8% 45.5% 34.8% 1
2022 50.0 5.22 2.94 2.38 46.9% 15.1% 37.0% 27.4% 4
2023 56.1 1.28 3.52 3.15 47.3% 5.8% 36.8% 23.8% 5

The biggest takeaways from these numbers are; that Hader had similar seasons in 2022 and 2023 despite a 3.94 ERA difference, his 2022 season was one of the unluckiest any pitcher has ever had and although we've seen regression over the last three years, Hader is still elite. How elite? Just look at his Baseball Savant page and you will see how elite.

Given the strikeouts and walks, Hader will continue to have a notable difference between his ERA, xFIP, and SIERA. Even if there is more regression on that front, he will still be one of the best (if not the best) relievers in baseball. The same goes for the strikeouts. Only four relievers (with at least 50.0 IP) had a higher K% than Hader last year and only three relievers over the previous two years combined (with at least 100.0 IP).

It's perfectly acceptable to believe Hader will regress in 2024. There's nothing to suggest he'll fall off a cliff and 2022 appears to be a massive outlier. Unlike some pitchers who outperformed their underlying numbers, Hader should still be an elite reliever in 2024.

 

Hader's role with the Astros

Given the investment the Astros have made with Hader, the assumption is he will be the closer and Ryan Pressly's fantasy value has nosedived. The reports that the Astros tried to trade for Hader during the 2023 season further cement the notion that even though Pressly was excellent, the Astros wanted to strengthen the back end of their bullpen.

Following the signing, Astros manager Joe Espada didn't name who will be their closer, but things are pointing towards Hader. Pressly is in the final year of his contract and when the opportunity to sign an elite reliever presents itself, you take it. This will be Espada's first time in the big seat so there is some uncertainty as to how he'll manage the bullpen. As a rookie manager, it's unlikely that Espada will want to try and reinvent the wheel.

Any "rightie/leftie" notions can be dispelled. Pressly had similar numbers against right-handed and left-handed hitters while Hader had better numbers against RHH (albeit in a small sample). Let's not forget about Bryan Abreu, who had a 1.75 ERA (72.0 IP) last year. The most likely usage will be Abreu pitching in the seventh inning, Pressly in the eighth inning, and Hader in the ninth inning.

There will be some fluidity with that order and certain matchups will see some alternative usage. Then you have to factor in days when one or more of the trio won't be available. But on paper, that seems the probable usage. If anything, it feels more likely that Pressly could be used in a more "firefighter" role, getting one or two outs in big situations. That would leave Abreu to set up for Hader to close out games.

Of course, this is all conjecture. Until we see it in action, we won't know for sure. But one certain thing is in leagues that only count saves, Pressly's fantasy value has likely plummeted. In saves and holds leagues, Pressly still holds the same value. And in deeper leagues, stashing Pressly makes sense as he is the best handcuff option for Hader.

Hader remains one of the best reliever options and remains firmly in the conversation for being the number one reliever in drafts. He could set a career-high in saves (37 saves in 2019) given he's on a team that is likely going to win 90 games again. There's an even stronger case for Hader to be the first reliever taken in drafts now he's got a new home for 2024.

 

Remaining closer options

How does this leave the remaining free-agent closer market? With Aroldis Chapman signing for the Pirates, there are only four remaining relievers with a market value of over $6 million a year (according to Spotrac). Liam Hendriks is set to miss the 2024 season as he recovers from Tommy John Surgery. Hector Neris only has five saves over the last two years along with a 3.89 xFIP. Keynan Middleton has a 4.31 ERA since 2020. And Wandy Peralta has 13 career saves.

That does mean there is less chance that any closer you've already drafted will be replaced by a free agent signing, as Pressly's fantasy managers have suffered. Of course, trades are still possible and some teams expecting to compete for the postseason don't have a clear option for saves (*cough* Texas Rangers *cough*). But with Hader off the board, I'd be more confident in drafting a closer without them being usurped before Opening Day.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Sean Reynolds1 hour ago

In A Walking Boot
Charlie Morton1 hour ago

Set To Start On Tuesday
Tyler Fitzgerald2 hours ago

Nearing Spring Debut
Jonathan Bowlan2 hours ago

Expected To Start Season In Relief Role
Jalen Suggs2 hours ago

Absent Again On Sunday
Addison Barger2 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Jarrett Allen2 hours ago

Questionable On Sunday Night
Erik Miller2 hours ago

Dealing With Finger Injury
Rudy Gobert3 hours ago

Remains Out On Sunday
Joel Embiid3 hours ago

Misses Practice, Questionable For Monday
OG Anunoby3 hours ago

Cleared To Face The Celtics
Pedro León3 hours ago

Pedro Leon Dealing With Left Knee Discomfort
Josh Hart3 hours ago

Returning Versus Boston
Heliot Ramos4 hours ago

Suffers Oblique Strain
Prelander Berroa4 hours ago

Diagnosed With Elbow Strain
Félix Bautista4 hours ago

Felix Bautista Throws Live Batting Practice
Parker Meadows4 hours ago

Battling Minor Biceps Injury
Chris Murphy4 hours ago

Throwing Bullpens
James Wood5 hours ago

Participates In Defensive Drills
Kevin Pillar5 hours ago

Signs Minor-League Deal With Rangers
Brayan Bello5 hours ago

Continues Improving
Connor Wong5 hours ago

Expected To Return On Monday
Jarren Duran6 hours ago

Scratched From Sunday's Lineup
Zach Penrod6 hours ago

To Miss Significant Time
Ryan Blaney7 hours ago

The Heavy Favorite To Win At Atlanta
Kyle Larson7 hours ago

Can Kyle Larson Finally Get A Good Finish At The New Atlanta?
Chase Elliott7 hours ago

Can Win This Weekend
William Byron7 hours ago

Don’t Overlook William Byron At Atlanta This Weekend
Austin Cindric7 hours ago

Looking To Contend Once Again At Atlanta
Ross Chastain7 hours ago

Will Start Deep in the Field at Atlanta
Zac Veen7 hours ago

Goes Deep On Saturday
Daniel Suarez7 hours ago

Looking To Continue Magic At Atlanta
Bobby Miller7 hours ago

Still Experiencing Headaches
Christopher Bell7 hours ago

An Obvious DFS Pick At Atlanta
Denny Hamlin7 hours ago

Is One of the Top DFS Options Of The Week For Atlanta Lineups
Carmen Mlodzinski7 hours ago

Building Up To Starter's Workload
Joey Logano7 hours ago

Is One Of The Favorites To Win At Atlanta
Kyle Busch8 hours ago

Expect Kyle Busch To Compete For The Win At Atlanta
Ty Gibbs8 hours ago

Should Not Be Overlooked For Atlanta DFS Lineups
Tyler Reddick8 hours ago

Should Fantasy Players Roster Tyler Reddick At Atlanta This Week?
Alex Bowman8 hours ago

Is Alex Bowman Worth Rostering For DFS Lineups At Atlanta?
Shane Van Gisbergen8 hours ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Value Option For Atlanta
Juuse Saros8 hours ago

Stands Tall On Saturday
John Hunter Nemechek8 hours ago

Should John Hunter Nemechek Be Considered For Atlanta DFS Lineups?
Kirill Kaprizov8 hours ago

Expected To Miss Longer Period Of Time
Carson Hocevar8 hours ago

Is A Fantastic Value Option For Atlanta DFS Lineups
Alex Tuch9 hours ago

Sustains Undisclosed Injury
Noah Gragson9 hours ago

Is A DFS Fade For Atlanta Lineups
Tom Wilson9 hours ago

Could Miss Sunday's Contest
John Gibson9 hours ago

Exits Early With Upper-Body Injury
Corey Lajoie9 hours ago

Corey LaJoie Is One Of The Top Value Plays For Atlanta
Andrew Copp9 hours ago

Doubtful For Sunday
NASCAR9 hours ago

Should DFS Players Roster A.J. Allmendinger At Atlanta?
Austin Dillon9 hours ago

Atlanta History Does Not Inspire Confidence For DFS Lineups
Mark Andrews16 hours ago

A Potential Salary Cap Casualty?
Norman Powell16 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Sunday
Kawhi Leonard16 hours ago

Could Miss Sunday's Game
P.J. Washington16 hours ago

Questionable Against The Warriors
Josh Hart16 hours ago

May Miss Another Game On Sunday
OG Anunoby17 hours ago

Questionable Against Boston
Aaron Gordon20 hours ago

Set To Play Against The Lakers
LeBron James20 hours ago

Available Versus Denver
Luka Dončić20 hours ago

Luka Doncic Cleared For Saturday Night
Dante Fabbro22 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Saturday
Sean Durzi22 hours ago

Returns From 52-Game Absence
Matthew Tkachuk22 hours ago

Will Not Play Against Kraken
Jordan Eberle22 hours ago

Back In Action Saturday
Boone Jenner22 hours ago

Ready For Season Debut Against Blackhawks
Nico Hischier23 hours ago

Returns To Devils Lineup Saturday
Mika Zibanejad23 hours ago

Available Against Sabres
Igor Shesterkin23 hours ago

Good To Go Saturday
Washington Commanders1 day ago

Jonathan Allen Could Be Salary Cap Casualty
Treylon Burks1 day ago

Could Use A Fresh Start Elsewhere
Tampa Bay Buccaneers1 day ago

Jamel Dean A Cut Candidate For Buccaneers
Jarrett Allen1 day ago

Set For An MRI, X-Rays Negative
Seattle Seahawks1 day ago

Dre'Mont Jones' Cap Figure Is Untenable
Cam Thomas1 day ago

Nearing A Return?
Pittsburgh Steelers1 day ago

Steelers Could Be Looking To Replace Larry Ogunjobi
Philadelphia Eagles1 day ago

Darius Slay Has Sixth-Highest Cap Hit For Eagles
Graham Gano1 day ago

Could Be On His Way Out
Derek Carr1 day ago

Saints Could Cut Derek Carr
Kendrick Bourne1 day ago

Patriots To Move On From Kendrick Bourne?
Minnesota Vikings1 day ago

Vikings Likely To Move On From Ed Ingram
Jason Sanders1 day ago

Could Be A Cap Casualty
Cooper Kupp1 day ago

Rams Could Cut Cooper Kupp
Los Angeles Chargers1 day ago

Something Has To Give With Joey Bosa
EDM1 day ago

Matt Savoie Set To Make Team Debut
SEA1 day ago

Cale Fleury Promoted To NHL
Evander Kane1 day ago

Resumes Skating
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

A Game-Time Decision
Elias Pettersson1 day ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Quinn Hughes1 day ago

Not Expected To Play On Saturday
Jacksonville Jaguars2 days ago

Jaguars Hire James Gladstone As New General Manager
Donald Parham Jr.2 days ago

Steelers Sign Donald Parham Jr. To One-Year Deal
Philadelphia Eagles2 days ago

Nolan Smith Has Surgery For Torn Triceps Muscle
George Kittle2 days ago

Discussing Extension With 49ers
Matthew Stafford2 days ago

Rams Give Permission To Matthew Stafford's Agent To Talk To Other Teams
Patrick Williams2 days ago

To Miss At Least Two Weeks
Jarrett Allen2 days ago

Won't Return On Friday
Fred VanVleet2 days ago

Nearing Return
Josh Giddey2 days ago

Considered Probable For Saturday
Jalen Smith2 days ago

Unavailable Saturday
Skyy Moore2 days ago

Could Be Salary Cap Casualty
Arizona Cardinals2 days ago

Cardinals Plan To Be Active In Free Agency
Henry Cejudo2 days ago

Set For Bantamweight Clash
Song Yadong2 days ago

Faces A Legend At UFC Seattle
Anthony Hernandez2 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brendan Allen2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Jean Matsumoto2 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Rob Font2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Seattle
Melsik Baghdasaryan2 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Jean Silva2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Seattle
Alonzo Menifield2 days ago

Opens Up UFC Seattle Main Card
Julius Walker2 days ago

Makes His UFC Debut
Jeremy Lauzon3 days ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
PGA4 days ago

Kris Ventura A Strong Value Pick At The Mexican Open
Sam Ryder4 days ago

A Player To Watch At The Mexican Open
Aldrich Potgieter4 days ago

An Intriguing Option At The Mexican Open
Mac Meissner4 days ago

Looking To Regain Form At The Mexican Open
PGA4 days ago

K.H. Lee A Player To Avoid At The Mexican Open
Stephan Jaeger4 days ago

Aims For Consistency At Mexican Open
Nicolai Hojgaard4 days ago

Poised For Strong Performance At Mexican Open
Joel Dahmen4 days ago

Difficult To Trust At Mexican Open
Michael Thorbjornsen5 days ago

Looks To Get Things Going In The Right Direction At Mexico Open
Davis Riley5 days ago

An Unlikely Candidate For Success At Mexico Open
Luke List5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At Mexican Open
Carson Young5 days ago

A Volatile Option At Mexican Open
Ryan Fox5 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Play At Mexican Open
Alex Smalley5 days ago

A Solid Play At Mexican Open
Kevin Yu5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At Mexican Open
Taylor Moore5 days ago

An Intriguing Option At Mexican Open
Rasmus Hojgaard5 days ago

Eyeing A Major Bounce-Back At Mexican Open
Michael Kim5 days ago

Looks To Keep Momentum Going At Mexican Open
Sam Stevens5 days ago

Continues His Excellent 2025 Season At Genesis Invitational
Patrick Rodgers5 days ago

Finishes Tied For Third At Genesis Invitational
Thorbjorn Olesen5 days ago

Makes First PGA Tour Start In 2025 At Mexico Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Five Dynasty Fantasy Football Tight End Sleepers to Target Late in Drafts (2025)

Generally, when it comes to tight ends in fantasy football, there are two schools of thought. Take one of the elite options early in your draft or bypass the position and wait until the later rounds to take a few flyers. This is commonly referred to as the “great or late” approach. Unfortunately, for dynasty […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings - Top 2nd Year Players to Buy and Target in Drafts (2025)

With one full season now in the books for the 2024 NFL Draft class, it's time to look back and re-rank the rookies from that draft for dynasty fantasy football leagues. Several players saw their dynasty value rise following the season, and some players saw their dynasty value plummet.  In this article, we will look […]


Jaxson Dart - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Rookie Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers - Value Pick Targets at Every Position (2025)

Everyone's always looking for sleepers in rookie drafts in Dynasty Fantasy Football. There's a massive payoff waiting for you if you can pick a rookie that far outperforms his expectations. Fantasy managers who selected Brian Thomas Jr. or Bucky Irving in last year's drafts gave their teams massive boosts and players that should produce well […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

NFL Rookie Breakout Trends: Top NFL Draft Prospects to Target in Fantasy Football (2025)

The 2025 NFL Draft has quite a few intriguing prospects, many of whom can be directly compared to players who are already in the league, or at least archetypes that are generally successful. There is a suite of skills at all the offensive skill positions that help players succeed at the next level. They vary […]


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, TE, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Biggest Fantasy Football Breakouts of 2024: TE

Tight ends are becoming increasingly important in NFL offenses. Offensive coordinators are scheming creative ways for their tight ends to get open in an age when the position is as athletic as ever. While tight ends formerly did not tend to experience success until their third season in the league, we have seen recent performers […]


Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Top Wide Receivers to Buy Low or Sell High in 2025

Even though the NFL season is officially over, the offseason is one of the best times to upgrade your team in dynasty formats. That could mean buying several star players or trading away a young superstar for multiple first-round picks. Those decisions should be made based on how your team currently looks.  In this article, […]


Jaydon Blue - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Picks, NFL Draft

NFL Draft Predictions (2025): Fantasy Football Sleepers to Target in Dynasty League Drafts

I'll keep this intro short. This year's draft has a ton of late-round steals that will be league-winners in redraft if they go to good situations and don't get injured. This is especially true in the running back position. It's a stacked RB class, and the position is valued less in the NFL than every […]


Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers and Draft Targets - RB

Running back was an interesting position in fantasy football in 2024. Most of the top backs in the league were unusually healthy for most of the season. That left little room for waiver-wire darlings and late-round picks to perform well for your fantasy squad. Given how injured running backs usually are, it is reasonable to […]


Rome Odunze - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Values: Four Backup Wide Receivers To Buy (2025)

Depth charts are constantly shifting in the NFL, and on the offensive side of the ball, wide receivers are constantly breaking out, falling off, or displaying all the precursors for an increase in production the next season. The third group of players are the ones we'll be discussing today. It's easy to be pessimistic about […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Early 2025 Fantasy Football Mock and Draft Takeaways!

Michael F. Florio participated in a way too early 2025 mock draft and is bringing his lessons to you! How did the first two rounds shake out? Where did QBs and TEs go? Are rookies already being pulled up? Florio discusses all of this and many more of his takeaways to get you thinking ahead […]


Dylan Sampson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Dynasty, Rookie Prospects

NFL Combine (2025): NFL Draft Rookies to Watch and Target for Fantasy Football

The 2025 NFL Combine is coming up soon. It's strange to think it happens not long after the Super Bowl, but the league never sleeps. And it's a time of excitement for teams, incoming rookies, and most importantly for us, dynasty fantasy football managers. How every player who attends performs is important, but you should […]


Chuba Hubbard - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Dynasty Fantasy Football: Top NFL Quarterbacks And Running Backs To Target in Drafts (2025)

If you play dynasty fantasy football, then you know how difficult winning a dynasty title is. A lot more goes into it than a standard redraft league. Injuries happen, players disappoint, and finding viable replacements on waivers is a lot harder. Depth becomes very important. Running backs are always in demand in dynasty leagues. We […]


Chase Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Five Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets - 3rd Year Players To Buy

The dynasty fantasy football world is focused on the upcoming class of rookies. Yet, let’s look to the past. The 2024 class was one of the best in recent memory, with Jayden Daniels, Bucky Irving, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey, and Brock Bowers having massive fantasy value as rookies. However, the 2023 class […]