History of Josh Hader in Timeline
April 07, 1994
Joshua Ronald Hader (born April 7, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Hader is a five-time All-Star and three-time winner of the National League Reliever of the Year Award.
2013
Hader played for the Gulf Coast Orioles in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the Low-A New York–Penn League, allowing only 14 hits and nine walks while striking out 48 in .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}28+2⁄3 innings pitched. In 2013, the Orioles assigned Hader to the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Single-A South Atlantic League (SAL). He appeared in the SAL All-Star Game, and through July 31, pitched to a 3–6 record with 79 strikeouts and a 2.65 ERA in 17 games started.
July 31, 2013
On July 31, 2013, the day of the MLB trade deadline, the Orioles traded Hader and L. J. Hoes to the Houston Astros in exchange for Bud Norris. He completed his 2013 season with the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Single-A Midwest League.
2014
On May 8, 2021, Hader reached 400 strikeouts faster than any other pitcher in MLB history, doing so in 234+2⁄3 innings pitched, breaking the prior record of 236 innings, which had been set by Craig Kimbrel in 2014. For July, Hader was named NL Reliever of the Month, the fourth time he won the award. On September 11, Hader pitched the ninth inning to close out a combined no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. He finished the 2021 season with 34 saves in 35 opportunities; he recorded a career-low 1.23 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 58+2⁄3 innings.
2014
Pitching for the Lancaster JetHawks of the High-A California League in 2014, Hader and two relief pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter on May 13. After pitching to a 9–2 record with a league-leading 2.70 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 103+1⁄3 innings, the Astros promoted him to the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Double-A Texas League in August. He was named the California League Pitcher of the Year. Hader returned to Corpus Christi in the 2015 season. He was selected to play for the United States national baseball team in the 2015 Pan American Games.
2015
The Baltimore Orioles selected him in the 19th round of the 2012 MLB draft. He was traded twice, including to the Astros, before joining the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 2015. Hader played for the United States national team in the Pan American Games in 2015 and appeared in the All-Star Futures Game in 2016. As a member of the Brewers, Hader made his MLB debut in 2017. In 2021, he became the fastest pitcher in major league history to reach 400 strikeouts. The Brewers traded Hader to the Padres in 2022.
July 30, 2015
On July 30, 2015, the Astros traded Hader, Brett Phillips, Domingo Santana, and Adrian Houser to the Milwaukee Brewers for Carlos Gómez and Mike Fiers. The Brewers assigned Hader to the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double-A Southern League. He finished the season with a 3.03 ERA combined.
2016
The Brewers invited him to spring training in 2016. Hader began the 2016 season with Biloxi, and made his first start for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League on June 12. He was selected to appear in the 2016 All-Star Futures Game. The Brewers added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
2018
In 2018, Hader was 6–1 with 12 saves and a 2.43 ERA. He had 143 strikeouts in 81+1⁄3 innings. Among MLB pitchers who threw at least 20 innings, Hader held left-handed batters to the lowest batting average (.088). He won the National League Reliever of the Year Award, becoming the first non-full-time closer to win the award.
August 14, 2020
On January 22, 2024, Hader signed a five-year, $95 million contract with the Houston Astros. Hader earned his first win as an Astro on April 30, 2024, while making his first two-inning appearance since 2019 and first of at least four outs since August 14, 2020, as Víctor Caratini hit a pinch hit, walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. On August 10, 2024 versus Boston, Hader converted his 25th consecutive save opportunity, surpassing Brad Lidge's franchise record of 24, and extended that streak to 29 total. For the month of August, Hader surrendered 1 earned run over 13+1⁄3 innings (0.68 ERA), 0.60 WHIP and .071 BAA, and was recognized as American League (AL) Reliever of the Month, his seventh career monthly award.
June 2022
Hader is the son of Tom and Patricia Hader. Hader is married to Maria Hader. The couple's first child was born in June 2022.
January 13, 2023
On January 13, 2023, Hader signed a one-year, $14.1 million contract with the Padres, avoiding salary arbitration. Hader was named the NL Reliever of the Month for April after recording 10 saves and holding opposing batters to a .093 batting average while allowing only one run in 13.0 innings pitched. He became a free agent following the season.
2024
On September 13, 2024, Hader recorded his 30th save, reaching the milestone for a fourth consecutive season, as the Astros collected the 5,000th win in franchise history by defeating the Los Angeles Angels, 5–3. Hader made 71 regular season appearances in 2024, posting an 8–8 record, 3.80 ERA, 71 innings, 43 hits, 12 home runs, and 25 walks surrendered and 105 strikeouts. He was ninth in the AL in appearances, second in games finished (62) and second in saves (34); both his appearances and games finished totals represented career highs.