Are the Brewers considering trading Josh Hader?
By Todd Welter
Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader is making his fourth All-Star Game appearance. How many years he keeps making the All-Star team as a representative for the Brewers is up in the air.
One reason is Hader will be a free agent after next season. He is currently making $11 million this season and will probably get even more in 2023–his final arbitration year.
There is a good possibility he will price himself out of Milwaukee once he becomes a free agent. There is some talk he could get a $100 million on the open market. That price might be a bit high for the small-market Brewers.
He will definitely rake in a big pay day once he hits free agency. He has a 122 career saves and counting, with an 11.8 career wins above replacement, and is a three-time NL Reliever of the Year winner. He is currently on pace to repeat as the reliever of the year with 26 saves and a 1.88 ERA.
The last time a reliever of the year hit the open market, Liam Hendriks got a three-year, $54 million contract from the Chicago White Sox. Hader could double that amount in the 2023 offseason even if he does not win the reliever of the year award next season.
All Hader has to do is keep dominating and stay healthy which should get him a nice check from some team if the Milwaukee Brewers are not willing to hand him a big contract.
The Milwaukee Brewers could also be inclined to let him walk and let Devin Williams take over as closer. The Brewers have listened to offers for Hader in the past so him being on the trading block is nothing new.
With that said, the most recent Hader trade rumor has some odd timing.
USA Today Sports Major League Baseball columnist Bob Nightengale had a blurb in his notebook that the Milwaukee Brewers will listen to offers again but before the trade deadline.
"The Milwaukee Brewers, who entered the weekend with a 3 ½-game lead in the NL Central over the St. Louis Cardinals, have informed teams they are willing to listen to offers for All-Star closer Josh Hader. Really. It doesn’t mean they’ll trade Hader, and certainly still love having the greatest closer in the game, but they believe they can trade Hader, acquire plenty of young talent in return, and still win the NL Central."