Josh Hader's recent Astros accomplishment (and comments) will infuriate Padres fans

Josh Hader just did something on Tuesday night that he never did while playing for the San Diego Padres. He pitched more than one inning.

That's right, the former Padres closer decided to shed his diva persona for the first time in almost four years and helped lead the Houston Astros to a 10-9 win in extra innings over the Cleveland Guardians at Minute Maid Park.

Hader entered a tie game in the bottom of the ninth inning. After allowing a leadoff walk, he locked down the next three batters. Hader then emerged from the dugout at the outset of the 10th inning and toed the rubber once again. Hader's second inning of work was the first time since Aug. 14, 2020 that he'd thrown more than one inning in a game.

Josh Hader's recent Astros accomplishment (and comments) will infuriate Padres fans

More irritating for the Friar faithful, however, might have been Hader's remarks to Astros' manager Joe Espada in between innings. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Astros' coaching staff approached Hader about going another inning, to which the left-handed responded, "I want it."

Really?! You want it? Well, it's nice to hear that the so-called best closer in the game finally decided that his team was worth an extra few tosses. Hader never went to the hill for more than one frame during the entire year-and-a-half that he was in San Diego.

Hader did not leave the 10th inning unscathed, however, and surrendered an RBI double before getting the final out of the game. The southpaw's backup catcher saved the Astros' closer from taking another L on the season with a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom half.

Hader had discussed ad nauseam his reasoning for not taking the ball outside of save situations, and it all boils down to him getting paid. It would appear that now that Hader received the largest contract ever handed out to the relief pitcher, he's a bit more amenable to helping his team win games.

Following the sign stealing scandal several years back, it's already easy for most fans throughout baseball to root against the Astros. But Hader's presence on Houston's roster only makes it an effortless act on the part of Pads fans who watched him refuse to enter games outside of save situations.

But don't be too bitter, Padres fans. Robert Suarez has out-pitched Hader by leaps and bounds this season and has already made three multi-inning appearances this season.

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