It’s safe to say that Josh Hader‘s transition from Milwaukee to San Diego has not been an easy one.
The usually dominant lefty reliever was acquired by the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline to help strengthen their bullpen, but he has done anything but that.
Hader had another implosion yesterday in Kansas City, allowing six runs in just a third of an inning.
That pushed his ERA up to 6.52 on the season and 23.14 since joining the Padres.
Blake Harris, an insider for the Padres’ division rival in the Los Angeles Dodgers, took to Twitter to roast Hader for his recent struggles.
The Dodgers’ magic number is now 16, which is lower than Josh Hader’s ERA with the Padres
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHarrisTBLA) August 28, 2022
An Unfortunate Comparison
That’s a harsh reality for Hader.
He hasn’t quite been himself this season, and the trade to San Diego clearly hasn’t helped him, as he’s been even worse since joining the club.
If your ERA with your new team is higher than your division rival’s magic number to clinch the division, then you’ve got a serious problem on your hands.
Every dominant pitcher will have an off year here or there.
This year just so happens to be Hader’s off year.
To be fair, the move hasn’t exactly panned out for the Milwaukee Brewers either, as Taylor Rogers, who is 2-6 on the season with a 4.38 ERA, has posted a 4.50 ERA since joining the team.
But that looks dominant compared to Hader’s recent stretch.
Now, the Brewers don’t look so crazy for trading their former All-Star closer, but rather, the Padres are the ones that look crazy now for having traded for him.
If the Padres plan on a postseason run, they’ll need Hader to get right and return to his dominant self.
NEXT: The Padres Had An Entire Homestand To Forget