Injured Astros closer Josh Hader aiming for postseason return

HOUSTON — Injured Houston Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader said he hopes to pitch again in 2025, even if it just means in the postseason.

Hader will not throw for three weeks after being diagnosed with a left capsule shoulder strain on Friday. He will fill that time with rest and strengthening exercises and be reevaluated to see if he can resume a throwing program.

“We’ll see how my body recovers and how it’s taking on rehab,” Hader said. “Right now for me, I’m trying to get as strong as I can for these next three weeks and see where I go from there.”

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Once he’s able to throw again, Hader said he would need an additional ramp-up period of about three weeks in order to pitch in games, which would likely rule him out of the remainder of the regular season. But, the six-time All-Star hopes to return in the postseason for the Astros, who entered Saturday leading the American League West by a half-game over Seattle.

“Obviously, I would love to be part of a playoff push, but realistically, I’m thinking about longevity,” Hader said. “If I can get these three weeks, get healthy and start moving into a direction where I can start throwing, yeah I would be definitely optimistic.”

Hader was placed on the injured list for the first time in his nine-year career on Monday after he felt something in his shoulder he hadn’t felt before while throwing in training.

“That’s when I kind of threw up the caution signs and wanted to kind of look in deeper and kind of see what was really going on,” Hader said.

In his second year with the Astros, Hader is 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA and is fifth with 28 saves in 48 appearances this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.