"I think it is the best in the AL" - Astros may potentially have league's top bullpen following Josh Hader signing, per MLB analyst

Josh Hader and the Houston Astros put pen to paper on a five-year, $95 million deal, making it one of the biggest deals offered to a closer in MLB history.

The addition of Josh Hader makes an already solid Astros bullpen even stronger. According to MLB analyst Greg Amsinger, the Astros now make a case for having the strongest bullpen in the MLB.

“I think it’s the best bullpen in the American League, might be the best bullpen in baseball,” Amsinger said on MLB Tonight.

Hader opted for free agency this offseason after rejecting a $20.325 million qualifying offer from the San Diego Padres. Hader’s Astros deal marks a reunion of sorts, as he spent two years with the Astros in the minor leagues between 2013 and 2015.

Going into 2024, he is expected to be the Astros’ primary closer and will be sharing duties with the likes of Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu. Pressly has come up clutch for the Astros on several occasions, which is why Hader’s signing came as a surprise to a few fans and analysts.

Over in the National League, the Dodgers have a pretty solid bullpen, which got even stronger following their recent addition of veteran James Paxton. While it’s up for debate which team has the best bullpen in baseball, the Astros are now certainly in that discussion following the Hader move.

Will Josh Hader’s addition to the Astros bullpen lead them to World Series glory in 2024?

Josh Hader’s deal with the Astros will have an AAV of $19,000,000, a lot of money for a closer.

The Astros intend on making a deep postseason run in October and finding their way back to World Series glory in the 2024 season. Given the enormous standards they have set for themselves since 2017, anything less could be perceived as ‘not enough’ by their fanbase.