Houston Astros closer Josh Hader has been diagnosed with a left shoulder capsule sprain and will be shut down from throwing for "approximately three weeks," the team announced on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, Hader told reporters that a return during the regular season was unlikely but that he and the club were still hoping he'd be available for the playoffs, albeit while being limited to single-inning appearances.
Hader, 31, was placed on the injured list earlier this week. Prior to being deactivated, he had amassed a 2.05 ERA (201 ERA+) and a 4.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 28 successful saves in 48 appearances. His contributions had been worth an estimated 2.3 Wins Above Replacement, per the calculations hosted at Baseball Reference. AL West divisional odds breakdown: Can