The Milwaukee Brewers infamously traded Josh Hader at the trade deadline last year for Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, Esteury Ruiz, and Robert Gasser. While the Brewers were able to turn Ruiz into William Contreras via trade in the offseason, Rogers was terrible (3-3 5.48 ERA), Lamet was designated for assignment before ever suiting up for Milwaukee, and Gasser is still in the minors.
Aside from the disappointing immediate return (jury is still out on Gasser and will be for a few more years), the toll the trade took on the Brewers’ clubhouse may have been the proverbial nail in the coffin of their postseason hopes. Now, the San Diego Padres, who acquired Hader, may be looking to trade him.
The San Diego Padres May Trade Former Milwaukee Brewers Closer Josh Hader
Josh Hader may be having the best year of his career. He is 0-1 with a miniscule 1.08 ERA and 21 saves. For the fifth-straight season (aside from 2020- no All-Star Game) he was named a National League All-Star.
However, the Padres entered the All-Star Break as one of baseball’s most underachieving teams. For all the money they spent on free agents, for all the talent they developed, they are only 43-47 and 8.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead.
They are also six games behind the San Francisco Giants for the final NL Wild Card spot. If things do not get better quickly after the regular season resumes, Hader could find himself traded for the second year in a row.
Why the San Diego Padres May Trade Josh Hader
Last year, the Brewers traded Hader because they knew he would be out of their price range once he hit free agency. He will be a free agent at the end of this season, and Milwaukee figured they would get a bigger return for him if they moved him with a full year of club control left.
Well, that return has already been discussed. However, the Padres obviously are no better with Hader this season despite his brilliant play. That being said, he is a free agent after the season and will be expensive.
The Padres already have $159.5 million dedicated to their roster next season, and that does not include the $12 million they still owe Eric Hosmer in 2024. So, with a payroll already over $171 million, it stands to reason that they may try to offload Hader for whatever they can get for him yet this year. He may be out of their price range, too.
MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand wrote an article listing six big-name players that could be on the move before the trade deadline on August 1. Hader was the first player he mentioned, and he included an interesting quote from Hader that he gave during this year’s All-Star media session:
“It’s nothing I can control. You can’t get your head wrapped up in what-ifs or whatever may happen. For me, it’s just going out there every day and making sure that I’m ready to pitch.
“If it happens, it happens; just like last year, there have been rumors pretty much every year since I’ve been in arbitration that it’s a possibility.
“I can’t change the result or the outcome of where I will be if it’s going to happen, so I feel like it’s wasted energy if you’re even thinking about that.”
Should the Padres decide to trade Hader, teams that are making postseason pushes but in need of bullpen depth will be the ones that come calling. And even though the Brewers fall into this category, I do not see a scenario in which Hader returns to Milwaukee.
Instead, big market teams that are on the borderline of postseason contention will likely be the kind of team that gets Hader’s services for two months. These teams include the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. The Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are also intriguing names to watch.
Rumors are swirling around Josh Hader, the former Milwaukee Brewers closer. Could he be on the move again? Find out the latest updates and speculations in our Trade Rumors Milwaukee Brewers section. Stay tuned for more exciting MLB news and trade rumors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does Hader pitch?
- Josh Hader throws fast pitches, with his Sinker reaching speeds of 96 mph and his Slider at 86 mph. He occasionally uses a Changeup, which clocks in at 88 mph.
Who was in the Josh Hader trade?
- As part of the Josh Hader trade, the Milwaukee Brewers acquired Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, and two prospects - Esteury Ruiz and Robert Gasser. The trade brought in valuable additions to the Brewers' roster, strengthening their bullpen and adding prospects for future game.
