Josh Hader: Houston Astros 'agree five-year, $95million contract' with the lefty closer... the largest deal for a relief pitcher in baseball history

Hader previously pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres Due to deferrals, his contract has a higher value than Edwin Diaz's deal DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

Josh Hader, one of the biggest prizes of the baseball offseason, is set to join the Houston Astros after reportedly signing a record MLB deal for a relief pitcher.

The lefty closer will end up with the Astros on a five-year, $95-million deal after a little more than a season with the Padres, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Many teams were looking to acquire Hader’s services this offseason, with good bullpen arms always in demand – and it appears he has chosen to go with one of the most prominent franchises in baseball.

The Astros are a bit of a shock landing spot for Hader, as the team already had a strong closer in Ryan Pressly, along with one of the deepest bullpens in baseball.

Now, the Astros will have the best set-up-and-closing combination in MLB, although it’s unclear if Pressly would accept moving out of the ninth inning.

Josh Hader is set to join the Houston Astros after signing a record MLB deal for a relief pitcher

Hader’s deal is worth more than Edwin Díaz’s with the Mets in current money. Per Passan, deferrals lowered Diaz’s deal to around $93.1 million, not the advertised $102.5-million contract.

The Astros have made at least the ALCS every year since 2017, and are lined up to make another deep run this upcoming season.

Last year, Houston lost in the ALCS to its rival, the Texas Rangers, who went on to win their first World Series.

Texas, Houston and the Seattle Mariners are all expected to compete for this season’s American League West crown, in a division completed by the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics.

Hader spent the first five-and-a-half years of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers.