Even now, there is a player who is considered the biggest closing pitcher in the Major League Baseball FA market. Josh Hader (30), who made a perfect comeback with 33 saves last year, is the main character.
Hader has built a stellar career as a closing pitcher. Hader, who made his Major League debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017, emerged as a league-class relief pitcher with 6 wins, 1 loss, 12 saves and an ERA of 2.43 in 55 games in 2018, and was honored as an All-Star for the second consecutive year as he pitched in 61 games in 2019 with 3 wins, 5 losses and 37 saves with an ERA of 2.62. The season he won his first relief pitcher title in his career was in 2020. Although it was a shortened season, Hader won the honor of National League relief pitcher with one win, two losses and 13 saves with an ERA of 3.79 in 21 games.
Hader played in 60 games in 2021, and continued his consistent performance with 4 wins, 2 losses, 34 saves and an ERA of 1.23. Hader, who opened in Milwaukee, changed his uniform to the San Diego Padres ahead of the trade deadline. The result was a career-worst record with two wins, five losses and 36 saves and an ERA of 5.22.헤라카지노주소
However, it was unfounded. Hader turned himself into a “low-winner” in the postseason, and successfully revived the LA Dodgers in the Division Series, which marked the starting point for a stellar season last year with 61 games, two wins, three losses, 33 saves and an earned run average of 1.28. His overall record in the Major League is also excellent, with 20 wins, 21 losses, 165 saves and an earned run average of 2.50 in 349 games.
Hader has been cited as a strong candidate to break Edwin Diaz’s $102 million contract record for relievers this offseason. However, no word has been heard of Hader’s contract yet.
The U.S. “CBS Sports” focused on Hader on the 10th (Korean time), including the reason why his contract was sluggish and whether he could break the record for the highest amount of relief pitcher ever.
“The best closing pitcher in this offseason’s FA market is Josh Hader, a five-time All-Star. Hader had his best season last year with 33 saves and an ERA of 1.28, having 85 strikeouts in 56 ⅓ innings. Hader has 648 strikeouts in 388 ⅔ innings in total. It is a ridiculous figure despite the fact that there are many strikeouts these days,” said CBS Sports, explaining the value of Hader, who boasts an explosive ball power.
“Even though Hader has been the dominant closer for nearly a decade, his offseason is still quiet,” said CBS Sports, which questioned, “One of the reasons is that clubs have begun to deviate from the dedicated closer model. They are relying on one or two relievers who can pitch at any time instead of the typical closer in the ninth inning,” analyzing that recent changes in the trend of closer pitchers are affecting them.
Above all, the contract is not easy in that Hader is aiming for a new record for the highest amount of relief pitcher ever.
“Last offseason, Edwin Diaz signed a five-year, $102 million contract with the New York Mets. It’s the biggest deal a reliever has ever signed in terms of total ($102 million) and annual salary ($20.4 million),” said CBS Sports. “Heather is looking forward to breaking Diaz’s record this offseason. It’s no surprise,” he said.
As a result, it would be overwhelming for a team that has to bear huge amounts of money. “Hayder wants the biggest contract in the history of a closing pitcher. However, it doesn’t fit the budget of the teams that have to spend for innings,” the newspaper said.
Nevertheless, the prospect that Hader will win a contract worth more than 100 million dollars is still valid. CBS Sports pointed out the possibility for three reasons. The first reason was that Hader was an FA, that clubs that failed to strengthen their starting pitchers would be interested in Hader, and the third was that Hader was a durable pitcher.
“He is free to talk to all 30 teams. He said the Mets were the only channel of conversation when signing his record contract,” stressing their differences. While Diaz signed an extension contract with the Mets, Hader is a free agent and can be competitive with other teams. If so, his value could naturally rise.
“CBS Sports said, “Clubs that have failed to strengthen their starting pitchers can turn to strengthening their bullpen,” adding, “If the New York Yankees, who missed Yoshinobu Yamamoto, change their direction to recruit the best bullpen pitcher, Hader will be a clear target. If Hader is in charge of the ninth inning, Clay Holmes, who is currently a leading candidate for closer, can face the best hitters in the sixth to eighth innings,” he said, adding that the possibility of a “quick turn” by clubs that were seeking to recruit FA starters is also open.
Hader’s strength lies in his durability. “He is a hard-throwing pitcher. His sinker averaged 96.3 mph (154 kph) and was overwhelming at 98.6 mph (159 kph) last year. It is easy to think that his delivery could lead to his injury, but the only time he was on the injured list was when he was tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021 and had a 10-day rest,” said Hader. It remains to be seen whether Hader will be the star of a contract that will change the history of the Major League.