Astros' Josh Hader makes brutally honest admission amid injury recovery

Hader discusses the frustration of being sidelined and the Astros' early-season struggles.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:50pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the fractured, overlapping motion of a baseball pitcher's throwing action, rendered in a dark, moody color palette that conceptually represents the challenges the Astros face without their star closer.Hader's injury absence leaves a void in the Astros' bullpen as the team battles early-season struggles.Houston Today

Houston Astros star closer Josh Hader is continuing to recover from a bicep injury that has kept him out of action so far this season. Hader recently spoke to reporters about the difficulty of watching games from the sidelines and the Astros' lackluster performance, which has the team in last place in the AL West with a 6-11 record.

Why it matters

As one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, Hader's absence has been felt by the struggling Astros, who are dealing with a number of injury concerns to key players. Hader's honest comments about the team's struggles and his own frustration with being sidelined provide insight into the challenges the Astros are facing early in the season.

The details

Hader, 32, was placed on the IL before the start of the season due to the bicep injury. He has been working to recover in the background, but has expressed his frustration with not being able to contribute on the field. The Astros have gotten off to a slow 6-11 start, putting them in last place in the AL West. Hader acknowledged the team's poor play, but expressed confidence that they have the talent to turn things around over the course of the long season.

  • Hader was placed on the IL before the start of the 2026 MLB season.

The players

Josh Hader

A 32-year-old star closer for the Houston Astros who is currently sidelined with a bicep injury.

Houston Astros

The MLB team that Hader plays for, who are currently struggling with a 6-11 record and a number of key injuries.

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What they’re saying

“'It's tough to sit here and watch games and not be able to be part of it. Obviously the emotions are still there. But not being able to participate, it's definitely a grind. But overall, I got work to do in the background. I feel like I've been doing that.'”

— Josh Hader, Astros Pitcher

“'I mean obviously, you know, we haven't been playing good baseball. We've been losing. We play 162 for a reason... There's a long season ahead of us. We're gonna have some ups and downs. Obviously with the downs being early in the year, it magnifies much more. We got a really good ball club here and we're gonna do some really good things.'”

— Josh Hader, Astros Pitcher

What’s next

The Astros will try to get back on track at 8:10 PM EST at home against the Colorado Rockies.

The takeaway

Hader's honest comments about the frustration of being sidelined and the Astros' early-season struggles highlight the challenges the team is facing without one of their star players. However, Hader's confidence in the team's ability to turn things around over the course of the long season provides hope that the Astros can overcome their current woes.