WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Houston Astros closer Josh Hader played catch again Friday after the six-time All-Star left-hander dealt with biceps tendinitis while throwing bullpen sessions in the offseason.
Manager Joe Espada said Hader, who missed the end of last season with a shoulder capsule strain, had stopped playing catch after a series of offseason bullpens before getting to Florida for the start of spring training this week.
“Hopefully we could get him going here. He's trending in the right direction,” Espada said. “We have plenty of time to get him back on the field since we know how important he is to our team.”
The 31-year-old Hader was 6-2 with 28 saves and a 2.05 ERA in 48 appearances last season, his second since joining the Astros in free agency. His last game was a two-inning outing against the New York Yankees on Aug. 8, which was before Houston missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.
Espada said Hader feels good and that the Astros are “just taking our time and make sure that we do this right.”
Hader told reporters Wednesday at the start of camp, when he also played catch, that he was “a few weeks behind” because of the tendinitis, describing it as a little setback and nothing that was too concerning for him. He said he felt something in his biceps when throwing a changeup during his fourth bullpen of the offseason.
The shoulder wasn't an issue after he resumed throwing.
“Based on what he’s telling us, he feels pretty good. So that’s a good thing,” general manager Dana Brown said. “We’re going to just start to build him back up so he can get ramped up and ready to go.”
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FILE - Houston Astros pitcher Josh Hader (71) reacts after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks during a baseball game, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Zimbabwe remained unbeaten against Australia at T20 World Cups after a surprising and comfortable 23-run win on Friday.
Defending 169, seamers Blessing Muzarabani grabbed a career-best 4-17 and Brad Evans 3-23 to help dismiss Australia for 146 in 19.3 overs.
Zimbabwe's second victory from two matches left Australia — the 2021 champion and perennial white-ball contender — needing to beat co-host Sri Lanka and Oman to advance from Group B.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates and United States registered their second wins in T20 World Cup history.
The UAE beat Canada by five wickets in New Delhi and the U.S. routed the Netherlands by 93 runs in Chennai.
Zimbabwe shocked Australia in their only previous T20 World Cup match in 2007, a freak five-wicket win in Cape Town. But 19 years later the contest was stunning for how much Zimbabwe dominated.
Zimbabwe lost only two wickets batting. Opener Brian Bennett earlier anchored with an unbeaten 64 off 56 balls. Tadiwanashe Marumani (35) and Ryan Burl (35) contributed and captain Sikandar Raza’s late acceleration (25 off 13 deliveries) was crucial in reaching 169-2.
The game was as good as over when Zimbabwe reduced Australia to 29-4 after 4.3 overs of the chase. Muzarabani and Evans did the damage and returned to finish what they started.
Matt Renshaw, playing in his first T20 World Cup, scored a fighting 65 off 44 balls into the 19th over and partnered with Glenn Maxwell, who struggled for 31 off 32.
“I was bowling to some of the best players in the world, so I am really happy it came off really nice,” said Muzarabani, who also reached 100 wickets in T20s. “Really good to beat Australia, but also (will be) nice to qualify (for the Super 8s), so looking forward to the next game now.”
Zimbabwe is on a mission of redemption after failing to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the only full member to miss out. But before this game veteran batter Brendan Taylor was ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury, and during Australia's innings captain Raza left with leg cramps.
Australia was without captain Mitchell Marsh, sidelined for the second successive game due to a testicular injury. When stand-in skipper Travis Head deflected the ball onto his stumps, Australia was four down and in deep trouble.
On a slow pitch the asking rate soared and Zimbabwe didn't allow the batters to break free.
Earlier, Marumani hit seven boundaries to lead Zimbabwe to 61-0 with Bennett, who shared another 60-run stand with Burl.
Opener Aryansh Sharma hit 74 not out off 53 balls to lead UAE across the finish line against Canada. Sharma surpassed Muhammad Waseem’s 66 not out against New Zealand in the previous game for UAE's highest score at a T20 World Cup.
Chasing Canada’s 150-7, the UAE was down to 66-4 as left-arm spinner Saad Bin Zafar rocked the top order with 3-14 in four overs.
Sohaib Khan provided the turning point — 51 off 29 balls with four sixes — and an 84-run stand off 42 balls with Sharma.
Canada was restricted to a below-par score after medium pacer Juniad Siddique picked 5-35, the second best figures in the tournament.
UAE’s only previous T20 World Cup win was against Namibia in 2022.
The U.S. also notched a second win in tournament history after downing Pakistan in 2024.
Saiteja Mukkamalla scored 79 off 51 balls with four sixes and five fours as the U.S. racked up 196-6. Skipper Monank Patel added 36 off 22.
The Dutch hit back through medium pacer Bas de Leede (3-37), but Shubham Rajane countered with 48 not out off 24 balls to propel the score.
The Netherlands collapsed to 103 all out in 15.5 overs.
Left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh took 4-21, medium pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk 3-21 and wrist spinner Mohammad Mohsin 2-19 as the U.S. earned the biggest win by runs — 93 — for an associate at T20 World Cups.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Zimbabwe's Brian Bennett celebrates his fifty runs during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Zimbabwe's Ryan Burl plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani celebrates the wicket of Australia's Tim David during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Zimbabwe's Ryan Burl celebrates the wicket of Australia's Glenn Maxwell during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Australia's captain Travis Head, second right, toss the coin as Zimbabwe's captain Sikandar Raza, right, watch it before the starts of the T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
