Elephant Rumblings: Record-breaking Josh Hader deal
MLB news roundup
Good morning, AN!
As recent news around the team has centered around temporary stadium proposals, rumors, and relocation for quite some time, I figured it could be nice to pivot off the stress for a day.
Josh Hader, one of baseball's best relief pitchers, signed a record-breaking free-agency deal with the Houston Astros just days ago for $95 million over five years. Couldn’t have picked a better team I guess.
The deal was the “largest present-day value contract” for a relief pitcher in baseball according to ESPN with the money topping that of Edwin Diaz’s 2022 contract when subtracting the deferrals. It was also the largest contract ever given out by Astros owner Jim Crane, according to The Athletic.
This begs the question of how much should a team really be willing to spend on a strong relief pitcher or even closer, a position that contributes usually just an inning or two at a time and sees a good amount of turnover. It also begs the question of why Hader had to choose Houston of all places.
Happy football Sunday, AN
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