Reliever Josh Hader is one of the best remaining free agents available, and multiple teams have interest in the closer.

Not only has he performed at a dominant level, but his medical record is something that is enticing to teams as well, according to Robert Murray of Fansided:

“Free-agent reliever Josh Hader continues to draw interest from big market teams. He has received feedback from teams that he has one of the cleanest medical files that they have seen in a free agent, sources said.

Hader’s workload surely has something to do with that. He hasn’t thrown more than one inning in a regular season game since Sept. 7, 2019 and has only thrown 184 innings since the 2020 season. Once he secures a long-term deal, he will be open to different usage, a source said.

On the mound, Hader has established himself as arguably baseball’s most dominant closer. He has a 2.50 ERA and 648 strikeouts in 348.2 innings. He’s the modern baseball leader in career opponents batting average and strikeouts per nine innings.”

Houston linked to Hader

Josh Hader's name has been linked to plenty of teams this winter, including the Astros, and the team is now “making a push” to get Hader to Houston.

The Astros' bullpen is a major question mark as teams near the start of spring training. Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek and Hector Neris are all free agents, and the team's level of interest in each has been a matter of speculation.

The bullpen's depth was further damaged by the news earlier this month that Kendall Graveman had undergone shoulder surgery and would likely miss the entire 2024 season.

Teams will have to pay up

Wherever he ends up, Hader is reportedly seeking a record-breaking deal for a closer.

Edwin Diaz previously signed a five-year, $102 million contract with the New York Mets. However, teams are expecting Hader to receive a more lucrative contract and set a new record for closers.