Josh Hader’s $19M Astros contract for 2024 tops Tigers’ 26-man World Cup roster | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Wednesday’s wild-card game in the American League between the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros was a good example of the fact that money doesn’t always equal wins.

The Tigers’ entire 26-man wild-card roster has a combined salary of $18.8 million, which is less than the lone salary of Astros reliever Josh Hader, who makes $19 million per year.

Kenta Maeda’s $14 million takes up the majority of the Tigers’ payroll, and only three other players make more than $1 million annually, per Spotrac.

Despite the payroll discrepancy, Detroit defeated Houston 5-2 on Wednesday to advance to the American League Division Series. Hader pitched 1.1 innings, allowing three hits, an earned run and a walk.

The Tigers had a miraculous end to the regular season, winning 15 of their final 21 games to secure a spot in the postseason. The playoff berth was their first since the 2014 season, when they won the AL Central and reached the division series.

After winning the wild-card series against the Astros, Detroit will now take on the second-seeded Cleveland Guardians in the division series. While Cleveland has been one of the best teams in the American League this season, the Tigers’ momentum is undeniable, and they’ll look to continue their magical run Saturday.