Josh Hader Rumors: Insider lists 3 teams 'in play' for lefty reliever
Free agent reliever Josh Hader has piqued interest from multiple teams this offseason. The former NL Reliever of the Year is seeking a record-breaking contract north of Edwin Diaz's five-year, $102 million deal with the New York Mets.
According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, three teams are interested in his services: the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. However, the Insider added that the above-mentioned teams will likely look at other top free-agent starting pitchers before deciding on him.
"He's looking for a deal north of Edwin Diaz, so it would be five years, over $100 million, and so far, no club has gone to that ballpark, at least as of yet. But the three teams that are in play are the New York Yankees, the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Dodgers."
Bowden also mentioned that the Yankees are hot in pursuit of starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery but could pivot to Josh Hader if Montgomery signs elsewhere.
Josh Hader is one of the top bullpen arms in the MLB, and he's constantly displayed it, first with the Milwaukee Brewers and then for the San Diego Padres. It remains to be seen how his free agency takes a turn and whether he gets the contract he's seeking.
Josh Hader's baseball career
Hader was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles in the 19th round of the 2012 MLB draft, at No. 582. He agreed to terms with the Orioles for a $40,000 signing bonus. After spending one year in the minors, he was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for Bud Norris.
He was again traded, and this time it was the Milwaukee Brewers who acquired his services and nurtured his talent. The club promoted him to the majors in the 2017 season, and Hader debuted on June 10.
With the Brewers, Hader's performances skyrocketed as he was selected to five All-Star games (2018, 2019, 2021–2023). He is also a three-time All-MLB First Team (2019, 2021, 2023) and won three NL Reliever of the Year awards (2018, 2019, 2021). Apart from this, he was the NL Saves leader in 2020.
Last season with the San Diego Padres, he had a 2-3 record for a 1.28 ERA, 85 strikeouts and 32 saves across 61 appearances in 2023.