Star Astros closer Josh Hader will begin the 2026 season on the 15-day injured list, manager Joe Espada announced to the team’s beat this morning (via Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle). He’s been slowed by a biceps issue this spring after missing the final seven weeks of the 2025 season due to a capsule strain in his shoulder. Hader has progressed to throwing and pitched an encouraging bullpen session yesterday, Kawahara adds, but the team simply won’t have enough time to get him built up before the season begins. Righty Bryan Abreu will very likely be in line to close games for Houston while Hader is shelved.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/03/josh-hader-astros-closer-injured-list-biceps.html

Hopefully Hader is working through this thing, but I'm holding my breath. How many times have we seen these kinds of issues just keep going until one day we wake up and the guy is scheduled for surgery and we are like WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope he proves me wrong.