Josh Hader (biceps) threw 20 pitches to live hitters on Tuesday.
Hader said his four-seam fastball was between 91-93 mph, and he was pleased with his overall performance. While this may not seem like a major accomplishment, it’s the first time Hader has faced hitters in months, so it’s certainly a step in the right direction. He will need to face hitters in simulated sessions a few more times and then head out on a rehab assignment, so the middle of May feels like a best-case scenario for Hader to return to the Astros bullpen. With Bryan Abreu struggling, the Astros will continue to roll with some combination of him, Bryan King, and Enyel De Los Santos until Hader returns.