4 Astros stars who may not be back in 2025 thanks to Josh Hader's record deal
By Mark Powell
The Houston Astros answered their biggest remaining question this offseason big signing Josh Hader to a record contract. In doing so, Houston forms one of the scariest back-end bullpen trios in baseball with Hader, Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu. A season-ending injury suffered by Kendall Graveman increased the Astros urgency to make such a deal.
The Hader contract -- worth $95 million over the next five years with no deferrals -- proves Houston is all-in on the 2024 season. Beyond that, though, the Astros face some serious questions about their homegrown stars, as FanSided's Zach Rotman pointed out when examining Hader's deal:
"For 2024, the Astros were already scary without Hader. Now with him, they have an argument for the best team not only in the American League West, but in the entire American League. The contract raises questions about the future, but that's not for anyone to worry about right now. The Astros got their guy, and that's frightening."
Houston has sacrificed long-term stability to go for another World Series. It would be this core's third, with the previous two occurring in 2017 and 2022.
4. Alex Bregman could be traded if things go south for Astros
Alex Bregman is in the final year of his contract and remains an integral part of the Astros core. Bregman is just 30 years old, and if Houston remains a contender this season, an extension could be in his future. However, Bregman's name was also floated in trade conversations this winter because he and Houston remain far apart in extension discussions. With the addition of Hader and $95 million to the long-term payroll, consider those extension talks tabled for now.
If Bregman plays like the All-Star third baseman he's proven to be in the past -- and still proves he has range defensively at the hot corner -- there will be a number of teams willing to overpay next winter. Bregman hitting the free agent market is likely his agent's goal, which doesn't help matters. Michael Shapiro of the Houston Chronicle wrote that while he has a tough time believing the Astros will trade Bregman as long as they're contending, an extension isn't necessarily in the cards either.
"The Astros have demonstrated they don’t mind surveying the contract landscape in free agency, then securing compensatory draft picks as key pieces leave. I suspect that could be the endgame with Bregman. And while receiving such little return next winter would be painful, I have a hard time believing the Astros would entertain a trade-deadline deal of Bregman, let alone a franchise-deflating move before the calendar turns to April," Shapiro wrote.
Houston let Carlos Correa leave. Bregman could be next.