MLB Hot Stove Lowdown: Reliever market thaws, Josh Hader joins Astros

After a few slow weeks on the transaction front, the flood gates opened this weekend with three teams making moves to fortify their bullpen. We are just a few weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting their spring training facilities and with so many big-time free agents still looking for a job, it should be an exciting couple of weeks for some wheeling and dealing. But before all the fun begins, we have to recap what happened recently. Let's jump in!

Josh Hader and the Astros reunite

The Astros and left-hander Josh Hader have agreed to a five-year, $95 million contract. The deal has no deferrals and is the largest contract given to a reliever in present-day value. Edwin Diaz signed a five-year, $102 million contact just last year but he deferred $26.5 million, which drastically bumped the present day value of his contract down. Hader will take home $19 million annually and can earn an extra $1 million if he wins the Reliever of the Year award. The Astros recently lost Kendall Graveman to a shoulder injury and the team reportedly was in the market for another reliever but at that time, it seemed inconceivable that Houston would land the best reliever left in free agency. We learned during Hader’s introductory press conference that general manager Dana Brown decided last Tuesday to make a run at the best reliever left on the market, which happened to be the same day the Graveman injury and surgery were announced. It is a huge bet and huge change of pace for the Astros. They will forfeit a second-round pick in the upcoming draft as well as $500,000 of international bonus pool money to sign the left-hander after he rejected a qualifying offer from the Padres. The Astros have relied on the depth of their minor league system to win at least 90 games over the last six seasons, excluding the 2020 season of course, and will face a crossroad this upcoming winter. Both Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are eligible for free agency this winter with Kyle Tucker reaching free agency after the 2025 season. All three All-Star players reportedly haven’t been in talks with the team about extensions, so their team could look radically different in a few seasons.

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Getting back to the fantasy baseball side of things, manager Joe Espada hasn’t announced a closer, but it seems extremely likely that Hader will grab the role, with Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu moving into high-leverage, late inning roles. Neither Hader, Pressly, nor Abreu have pitched three days in a row, so there could be instances where Pressly and Abreu pick up a lone save or two, but the lion’s share of the saves will, presumably go to Hader. The 30-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, posting a 1.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 85/30 K/BB ratio, and 33 saves but will move away from the pitcher’s paradise known as Petco Park. From a draft perspective, everyone here at Rotoworld is pouring one out for the early drafting fantasy managers who selected Pressly and/or Abreu in their leagues. Both of their values will decrease as their save opportunities are greatly diminished. However, even with the drastic change in roles, both are great picks in deeper roto leagues as both could get the odd save here and there, while providing excellent ratios and high strikeout totals, in Abreu’s case.

Angels bring in Robert Stephenson

Just hours after the Josh Hader deal was announced, it was reported that the Angels and free-agent right hander Robert Stephenson agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract with an option for the 2027 season. That option is contingent on Robertson’s health. If he were to undergo Tommy John surgery or miss a particular amount of time due to an elbow injury, then the Angels will receive a $2.5 million club option for Stephenson’s services for 2027. Stephenson missed nearly a month at the beginning of the season with right elbow inflammation so it makes sense why the Angels would ask for that stipulation to be added to the contract.

Stephenson was once a highly touted pitching prospect in the Reds organization, he has also played for the Rockies and Pirates before ending the season with the Rays last year. He was acquired by the Rays in early June for shortstop prospect Alika Williams. After joining Tampa Bay, he added a cutter and become one of the best relievers in baseball. With the Rays, the 31-year-old posted a 2.35 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 60/8 K/BB ratio across 38 ⅓ innings (42 appearances). He also struck out 42.9% of the batters he faced and only Felix Bautista, Aroldis Chapman, and teammate Pete Fairbanks posted a higher rate than Stephenson.

Now he and his outstanding cutter are headed to Anaheim, where he presumably will factor into the saves picture and some point in the season, if not before. Carlos Estevez took a step forward last year with the Angels and saved 33 games but his second half was anything but heavenly. The 31-year-old posted a ghastly 6.59 ERA in the second half with batters hitting a cool .302 against him. The biggest obstacle in Stephenson’s favor is that he doesn’t have any closing experience and new manager Ron Washington might choose to play it old school and stick with the guy with the most experience.

Aroldis Chapman joins the Pirates

Late Monday night, independent journalist Francys Romero reported that Aroldis Chapman and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract. Sadly, he becomes the highest paid player on the Pirates, with the Braves and Mariners paying down portions of Marco Gonzales’ $12 million salary. It is the second one-year contract for the 36-year-old fireballer but with a significant pay increase as he had to settle for $3.5 million from the Royals last winter. The left-hander split time between two teams, Kansas City and the Rangers, and picked up his second World Series ring. It was a bounce back season of sorts for the 35-year-old. He posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 53/20 K/BB ratio across 29 ⅓ innings (31 appearances). The Rangers traded starter Cole Ragans for Chapman last summer and it is a trade that they might look back on with regret, mainly due to Ragans' meteoric rise with the Royals. Chapman posted a 3.72 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 50/16 K/BB ratio across 29 innings (30 appearances) for the eventual World Series champions.

Even with his history as a lights out closer, it seems unlikely that he will take the closers job away from David Bednar. The last time that Chapman worked as a full-time closer was in 2021 when he picked up 30 saves for the Yankees. In deeper formats, Chapman is an excellent pick, as he should get an odd save or two while racking up a boatload of strikeouts and will likely share a late-inning setup role with Colin Holderman, who is right-handed to Chapman’s left-hand profile.

MLB Quick Hits: Grayson Rodriguez has been working on adding a two-seam fastball this winter… Astros RHP Joel Kuhnel has elected free agency… Astros SS prospect Zach Dezenzo has been invited to major league spring training… Guardians 1B prospect Kyle Manzardo has been invited to major league spring training… Brewers invited prospect pitchers Jacob Misiorowski and Robert Gasser along with infield prospects Tyler Black and Brock Wilken to major league spring training… Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Juan Soto will probably bat second this season… Yankees designated INF Jeter Downs for assignment… Yankees claimed INF/OF Diego Castillo off waiver from the Mets… Yankees signed RHP Luke Weaver to a one-year, $2 million contract… Yankees designated OF Bubba Thompson for assignment… Tigers and RHP Casey Mize avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $840,000 contract… Braves signed INF Yolbert Sanchez to a minor league contact… Rougned Odor has signed with Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball… White Sox signed RHP John Brebbia to a one-year contract… Alex Cobb (hip) is aiming to start a flat-ground throwing program in the next few days… Lance McCullers Jr. is eyeing a July return to the Astros’ rotation… Teams have checked in on the availability of Orioles C prospect Samuel Basallo… Bryan Bello is planning on throwing a slider more often in 2024… Janson Junk is seeking a contract to pitch overseas in Korea… Ken Giles will throw a bullpen session on Friday for interested teams… Vladimir Gutierrez held a private workout for interested teams last Friday… Giants pitching coach Bryan Price plans on changing the team’s philosophy when it comes to starting pitching… Brendan McKay (elbow) is healthy and throwing well… Collin McHugh announced his retirement after an 11-year career… Tony Walters announced his retirement after a seven-year career… Orioles and LHP Cionel Prez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract for the 2024 season with a club option for 2025… Diamondbacks C tucker Barnhart has a chance to emerge from spring training as the team’s back-up catcher… The Mets have expressed interest in LHP Aroldis Chapman… Cardinals signed LHP Nick Raquet to a minor league contract… Astros designated LHP Matt Cage for assignment…Cardinals and INF/OF Tommy Edman avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year contract… Tigers re-signed C Julio E. Rodriguez to a minor league contract… Orioles acquired INF Tyler Nevin from the Tigers for cash considerations… Tigers re-signed LHP Jose Alvarez to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.