MLB rumors: Astros demoted a player to sign Josh Hader, is he upset?

On Friday, the Houston Astros landed closer Josh Hader on a historic five-year, $95 million contract. The hard-throwing southpaw spent last season with the San Diego Padres, posting 85 strikeouts in 56.1 innings pitched. He completed 33 saves en route to his fifth All-Star appearance.

It's a major addition for the Astros, who now have one of the best bullpens in baseball. Houston has been to the ALCS in seven straight years, but the franchise will face a challenge under new manager Joe Espada, who takes over for the retired champion Dusty Baker.

Hader can absolutely overwhelm batters by alternating between his sizzling fastball and slippery slider. He finished last season with a strikeout rate (36.8 percent) in the MLB's 99th percentile. But, in landing Hader, the Astros demote one of their most dependable stars. Not far behind Hader when ranking the best closers in baseball is two-time All-Star Ryan Pressly, who aided Houston's 2022 World Series run.

Now, Pressly will presumably be used as the setup man, with Hader closing tight games in the ninth inning. Reducing one All-Star's role to sign another carries natural risk. The Astros can't afford to rock the boat too violently following Baker's retirement. Espada has been the Houston bench coach for six years, so he knows how to manage egos and communicate with his team. But, adding Hader drastically changes the dynamics in the bullpen.

Before signing Hader, however, Espada and Astros GM Dana Brown called Pressly, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Their conversation appears to have cleared the air.

"I didn’t want to get down the road on this without talking to Pressly," said Brown. "I think that Pressly means so much to this organization. His leadership in the clubhouse, his leadership in the bullpen, the things that he’s done for this organization — all of the postseason saves and all of the in-season saves. He’s just been a pillar. But I wanted to talk to him because I know that’s the right thing to do."

Pressly is "all-in," according to Espada. Both GM and coach referred to the 35-year-old reliever as a "true professional."

"Pressly is all in," claims Espada."He’s like, ‘Joe, I understand. We want to win. This guy’s one of the best pitchers available, and I understand.’ He’s excited. I’m excited. Everyone is excited. Now we [have] to communicate how we’re going to move forward, and we’ll get those conversations going here in the coming days."

Ryan Pressly "all-in" despite demotion following Astros' signing of Josh Hader

Pressly has notably not spoken to the media, so we don't have his perspective on the matter. Judging from the response of his GM and manager, however, it's fair to assume that Pressly is handling the demotion with grace. He's not being excised from the rotation. Houston can still lean on Pressly in important middle and late-inning moments. He's just not the finisher anymore. In this case, a demotion doesn't necessarily mean fewer innings. It just impacts the perceived importance of his innings.

The Astros have profited greatly from Pressly's 5.5-year stint with the team. To date, he has 107 saves in a Houston uniform. Last season, however, Pressly saw his ERA dip (3.58) and he posted a career-high six blown saves. Hader is an upgrade. It's simple as that. In fact, there's a strong chance Pressly operates better — or at least more comfortably — in less stressful situations.

Houston did right by Pressly, giving him a phone call and getting the 'okay' for their long-tenured closer. Now Hader figures to elevate the Astros' bullpen to the next level, aiding what Houston hopes is another deep postseason push. The offense won't take a step back, and now the pitching corps is even better.

We will see how the season plays out, but for now, all seems well in the Houston bullpen. Injuries or losses can always shake a few screws loose, but let's be real — it's hard to imagine the Astros not improving with Hader on the roster.