Houston Astros push with Josh Hader's usage and attempt to create AL West separation falls short
· Yahoo Sports
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SEATTLE - The 10th inning began and the visitors' bullpen at T-Mobile Park was quiet, signaling intent. It did not matter if the Houston Astros scored in the top of the frame. Josh Hader was going to return for a second inning of work, be it to prolong a game or end it.
\n"He said, ‘Can you go? ' " Hader said. "I said, ‘Yeah.' "
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\nFor months, after their $95 million closer returned from injured list stints for shoulder and biceps issues, the Astros practiced restraint with that type of usage. Patience was for occasions like the one that arose Wednesday, when the Astros, with a chance to bolster their playoff odds, deemed it time to push.
\nThat it did not work, in the grand scheme, merely left the Astros where they began the night. A 6-5 walk-off loss to the Mariners did not cost them ground in the American League West. They remained tied atop the division with the Texas Rangers, with the tiebreaker in hand, one day closer to the season's end.
\nPLAYOFF SCENARIOS:Where Astros stand with 4 games left
\nYet the opportunity that was there and slipped away, the resources the Astros expended to create it, had to deal them a blow in the last stage of a playoff race. A two-game lead with four to play, essentially, was within their grasp. The Astros fired a precious shot at it and fell short.
\nJosh Naylor's walk-off single, after Hader had walked in the tying run, left Houston at 78-80 and facing a fast turnaround to its final four-game series with the A's. How early in that series Hader will be available again after throwing 44 pitches Wednesday, his most in a regular-season outing since 2019, is uncertain.
\n"He was going to have tomorrow off no matter what since we went back out there for a second inning," manager Joe Espada said postgame. "And we stay in the present, we're trying to win today's game. And we had a shot to do it."
\nThey did, at the end of a taxing two days for their bullpen and roster. Cristian Javier's early departure for a groin injury Tuesday left their bullpen to throw seven innings. Jeremy Peña and Brice Matthews exited that win, as well, joining center fielder Daulton Varsho among players dealing with injuries.
\n \n\nStill, the Astros forged a 4-0 lead in the third inning against George Kirby on Wednesday. Seattle cut it to one in the bottom half against rookie Ethan Pecko, spurring Espada to turn early to his bullpen again.
\nFour ensuing relievers, three of them rookies, combined for 5 ⅓ innings of one-run ball while Houston's offense went quiet. A tied game reached the ninth as a result. Hader entered in the bottom of the inning. He allowed a single and a walk but escaped due partly to picking off Taylor Ward running in a full count.
\nYainer Diaz's run-scoring triple gave the Astros a 5-4 lead in the 10th. Two ensuing hitters could not drive Diaz in from third base, keeping it a one-run edge. Hader had thrown 19 pitches in the ninth and hadn't pitched the previous five days. If an occasion called for his drawing a second inning, it had to be this.
\n"Good," Hader said of how he felt as the inning progressed, "I've just got to throw strikes. They weren't chasing the fastball low. They were pretty patient. The goal is to attack the zone, and just couldn't really be in the zone."
\nThree of the first four batters Hader faced in the 10th inning drew walks. Randy Arozarena led off with a seven-pitch walk, putting Hader at 26 pitches. Hader challenged ball four and lost. He induced a ground out from Dominic Canzone that advanced the runners but walked Cal Raleigh on six pitches.
\nIt was atypical for Hader, who entered with a 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season. Espada said he still thought "the stuff was really good" from Hader in the 10th inning.
\n"They fouled some tough pitches off, they really made him work," Espada said. "But I thought the slider was there, sinker was good, up to 96 (mph). They just put some really good at-bats against him and they made him work."
\n2026 ASTROS STATS
\n\n\n\nBATTERS\nAVG\nOBA\nAB\nR\nH\n2B\n3B\nHR\nRBI\nBB\nSO\nSB\nCS\nE\n\n\n\n\nTeam Totals\n.240\n.314\n5312\n700\n1277\n232\n20\n213\n669\n510\n1303\n48\n21\n70\n\n\n\n\nAlvarez\n.316\n.432\n551\n101\n174\n33\n1\n41\n102\n107\n115\n1\n0\n2\n\n\nDiaz\n.282\n.312\n326\n37\n92\n14\n1\n14\n43\n12\n53\n0\n2\n3\n\n\nCorrea\n.279\n.369\n122\n22\n34\n8\n0\n3\n16\n18\n26\n1\n0\n1\n\n\nAllen\n.278\n.323\n144\n25\n40\n6\n0\n3\n14\n10\n32\n2\n0\n5\n\n\nPeña\n.275\n.325\n426\n77\n117\n19\n2\n20\n51\n24\n111\n11\n2\n12\n\n\nParedes\n.261\n.359\n547\n65\n143\n27\n1\n23\n92\n68\n86\n0\n0\n8\n\n\nShewmake\n.256\n.272\n78\n10\n20\n4\n0\n3\n9\n2\n13\n0\n0\n2\n\n\nAltuve\n.252\n.309\n508\n69\n128\n24\n2\n16\n46\n40\n111\n5\n3\n5\n\n\nDelgado\n.243\n.300\n37\n4\n9\n1\n0\n1\n4\n3\n7\n0\n0\n2\n\n\nHarris\n.226\n.286\n31\n4\n7\n0\n1\n0\n4\n2\n6\n2\n0\n0\n\n\nWalker\n.221\n.293\n557\n67\n123\n25\n1\n26\n83\n48\n145\n0\n0\n3\n\n\nLoperfido\n.214\n.311\n103\n13\n22\n7\n1\n1\n12\n14\n32\n1\n1\n1\n\n\nMeyers\n.213\n.268\n141\n15\n30\n7\n0\n3\n11\n10\n31\n1\n2\n0\n\n\nDezenzo\n.213\n.280\n75\n11\n16\n4\n0\n1\n3\n7\n31\n1\n0\n1\n\n\nSmith\n.208\n.273\n496\n62\n103\n17\n6\n20\n54\n40\n141\n11\n2\n6\n\n\nVázquez\n.206\n.261\n238\n22\n49\n7\n0\n7\n25\n18\n52\n1\n0\n2\n\n\nWade\n.206\n.306\n126\n17\n26\n6\n0\n4\n19\n18\n36\n0\n0\n0\n\n\nMatthews\n.201\n.255\n214\n23\n43\n5\n1\n7\n22\n16\n74\n4\n4\n1\n\n\nTrammell\n.196\n.287\n250\n29\n49\n10\n2\n8\n22\n28\n88\n4\n3\n2\n\n\nVarsho\n.172\n.224\n151\n12\n26\n4\n1\n5\n14\n10\n36\n3\n0\n0\n\n\nPrice\n.167\n.231\n12\n1\n2\n1\n0\n0\n0\n1\n6\n0\n0\n1\n\n\nCole\n.157\n.189\n51\n4\n8\n1\n0\n3\n8\n1\n21\n0\n0\n1\n\n\nSpence\n.150\n.244\n40\n4\n6\n1\n0\n0\n3\n4\n17\n0\n2\n1\n\n\nJohnson\n.143\n.294\n14\n1\n2\n0\n0\n0\n0\n2\n3\n0\n0\n0\n\n\nBarrosa\n.143\n.333\n7\n1\n1\n1\n0\n0\n0\n2\n3\n0\n0\n1\n\n\nWhitcomb\n.130\n.167\n23\n2\n3\n0\n0\n2\n5\n1\n11\n0\n0\n0\n\n\nVelázquez\n.115\n.143\n26\n2\n3\n0\n0\n2\n6\n1\n13\n0\n0\n1\n\n\nSalazar\n.056\n.227\n18\n0\n1\n0\n0\n0\n1\n3\n3\n0\n0\n0\n\n\n\n___
\n\n\n\nPITCHERS\nW\nL\nERA\nG\nGS\nSV\nIP\nH\nR\nER\nHR\nBB\nSO\n\n\n\n\nTeam Totals\n78\n80\n4.50\n158\n158\n48\n1402\n1246\n753\n701\n201\n638\n1375\n\n\n\n\nMeyers\n0\n0\n0.00\n1\n0\n0\n1\n0\n0\n0\n0\n0\n0\n\n\nHader\n4\n2\n1.01\n45\n0\n26\n44.2\n19\n6\n5\n1\n15\n55\n\n\nSanta\n0\n1\n1.17\n10\n0\n0\n15.1\n8\n6\n2\n1\n6\n9\n\n\nVanWey\n1\n0\n1.74\n8\n0\n0\n10.1\n9\n3\n2\n1\n0\n7\n\n\nOkert\n6\n2\n2.13\n68\n1\n0\n67.2\n45\n17\n16\n7\n14\n68\n\n\nUllola\n1\n0\n2.84\n9\n2\n0\n12.2\n6\n4\n4\n2\n4\n12\n\n\nBrown\n6\n3\n3.26\n19\n19\n0\n102\n79\n40\n37\n11\n51\n120\n\n\nWesneski\n5\n2\n3.50\n10\n10\n0\n54\n43\n25\n21\n4\n19\n41\n\n\nBlubaugh\n5\n3\n3.59\n63\n0\n1\n95.1\n75\n40\n38\n13\n42\n93\n\n\nPearson\n1\n0\n3.60\n16\n0\n1\n20\n16\n10\n8\n1\n12\n16\n\n\nLambert\n8\n10\n3.70\n27\n27\n0\n151\n128\n64\n62\n15\n57\n147\n\n\nAbreu\n6\n4\n3.82\n65\n0\n8\n61.1\n43\n28\n26\n9\n40\n80\n\n\nPecko\n1\n0\n4.31\n7\n5\n0\n31.1\n24\n16\n15\n5\n14\n21\n\n\nHendrickson\n0\n0\n4.50\n1\n0\n0\n2\n2\n1\n1\n0\n0\n3\n\n\nArrighetti\n7\n5\n4.60\n17\n17\n0\n88\n68\n47\n45\n12\n50\n87\n\n\nTeng\n5\n7\n4.76\n30\n10\n0\n73.2\n69\n43\n39\n10\n33\n73\n\n\nDe Los Santos\n3\n3\n4.79\n66\n0\n5\n71.1\n69\n43\n38\n11\n20\n67\n\n\nSousa\n1\n3\n4.91\n33\n1\n0\n29.1\n31\n18\n16\n4\n18\n30\n\n\nImai\n6\n4\n5.00\n22\n15\n0\n75.2\n58\n42\n42\n9\n51\n96\n\n\nJavier\n2\n6\n5.14\n17\n12\n0\n63\n64\n36\n36\n10\n28\n59\n\n\nRoa\n0\n1\n5.19\n7\n0\n0\n8.2\n10\n5\n5\n1\n7\n6\n\n\nKing\n3\n6\n5.40\n58\n1\n6\n58.1\n66\n39\n35\n9\n22\n46\n\n\nBolton\n0\n1\n5.40\n8\n3\n1\n20\n21\n12\n12\n3\n14\n22\n\n\nBurrows\n4\n9\n5.99\n18\n17\n0\n94.2\n112\n69\n63\n21\n35\n75\n\n\nMcCullers\n2\n3\n6.86\n8\n8\n0\n39.1\n38\n32\n30\n7\n22\n43\n\n\nBlanco\n0\n1\n7.11\n7\n5\n0\n31.2\n30\n25\n25\n9\n15\n26\n\n\nMurray\n0\n0\n7.43\n8\n0\n0\n13.1\n19\n11\n11\n1\n7\n8\n\n\nWeiss\n0\n3\n7.62\n9\n2\n0\n26\n35\n24\n22\n8\n20\n30\n\n\nFrance\n0\n0\n8.10\n3\n0\n0\n6.2\n6\n6\n6\n1\n5\n4\n\n\nSalazar\n0\n0\n9.00\n1\n0\n0\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n0\n0\n\n\nAlexander\n1\n1\n9.33\n4\n2\n0\n18.1\n21\n19\n19\n4\n8\n14\n\n\nGordon\n0\n0\n11.57\n4\n1\n0\n9.1\n21\n12\n12\n6\n3\n11\n\n\nMuñoz\n0\n0\n15.75\n3\n0\n0\n4\n7\n7\n7\n3\n6\n6\n\n\nWade\n0\n0\n18.00\n1\n0\n0\n1\n3\n2\n2\n1\n0\n0\n\n\n\nHader said he did not think a five-day layoff affected his command, noting that he warmed up multiple times during Houston's last series against Atlanta. Asked if pitch count might have been a factor, Hader indicated that his command was not its sharpest in the ninth inning, either.
\n"In the first (inning), I was around the zone but not in the zone all the way, and they made me work in that inning too," Hader said. "Obviously, in the 10th, you don't really want to be in the zone and give up a hit. But you're not doing yourself good if they're not swinging at the ones out of the zone."
\nFailing to score an insurance run in the top of the 10th did not help Hader, who began the bottom of the inning with the tying run on second base, making only his third multi-inning appearance out of 45 since he returned from biceps tendinitis in early June.
\nOne of those was a two-inning appearance Aug. 10 in San Francisco, in which Hader also entered a tied game in the ninth, then returned with a three-run lead in the 10th. Hader used 22 pitches to get six outs in that appearance. His season high was 29 pitches prior to Wednesday.
\nHe threw 25 in the 10th, walking Julio Rodríguez on eight pitches - after getting ahead 1-2 in the count - to force in the tying run. Espada, who visited the mound before Rodríguez batted to deliver instructions to his infielders, said "there was some thought" about relieving Hader as the inning progressed.
\n"But I thought he maintained his stuff really good, he was making pitches," Espada said. "They just made him work and they won the battle there."
\n \n\nAfter Rodríguez's walk, Naylor served the 44th pitch of the night from Hader, a fastball, softly into center field to end the game. It was Hader's most pitches thrown in a regular-season game since Aug. 9, 2019. Afterward, he acknowledged some unsurety about how his body will respond in the coming days.
\n"I don't know, we'll see," Hader said. "I mean, I'm going to have to give it all, be available as best I can. I mean, we'll see. Like I said, just got done, so hard to tell."
\nThe Astros, who boarded a flight Wednesday night for Sacramento, face a need to respond quickly to a difficult loss. Four games against the A's remain on their schedule. They will require a record at least as good as Texas' to prevent being hurdled in the AL West, after a chance to create a cushion eluded them.
\n"We used our entire arsenal there trying to get through that one," Espada said. "Tough loss, yeah. But we've got another one tomorrow. But that was a tough one there."
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There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.\nThis article originally published at Houston Astros push with Josh Hader's usage and attempt to create AL West separation falls short.