MLB Insider: What rival execs are saying about Josh Hader’s deal with Astros

When the Houston Astros lost reliever Kendall Graveman for the regular season due to a right shoulder injury, the organization immediately turned its attention toward the bullpen market.

With Josh Hader still available, the Astros made the superstar left-hander the top priority. And after three days of negotiating with Hader, they agreed to a five-year, $95 million contract to make him the highest-paid reliever (in terms of present day dollars) in baseball history, surpassing Edwin Diaz’s $102.5 million deal (present day value of $93.1 million because of deferrals).

The immediate reaction from people throughout baseball – rival agents and executives – was that it was a strong deal for Hader. The $19 million annual average value is the biggest for a reliever. The deal came with a no-trade clause and can earn $1 million for winning the Reliever of the Year Award, something he has won three times in his career.

Rival executives praise Josh Hader's 'strong deal' with Astros

Adding Hader, and pairing him with Ryan Pressly, gives the Astros arguably the best one-two punch in the bullpen in baseball. It gives the Astros and new manager Joe Espada flexibility in the late innings and can allow them to deploy Hader and Pressly to maximize individual matchups. But make no mistake: with Hader earning $19 million per season, he will see the majority of the action in the ninth inning.

But Hader, who has predominantly been a one-inning pitcher only, is open to different usage, according to a source, and could pitch more than one inning at a time now that he has secured a long-term deal. Which gives Espada the ability to get creative in deploying Hader, who has statistically been the most dominant reliever in baseball throughout the last 4-5 seasons.

Signing Hader was something that was important to Astros general manager Dana Brown. Going back to Houston, where Hader met his wife Maria, was something he was very open to – and ultimately led to the Astros fortifying their bullpen just days after losing Graveman.