The San Diego Padres acquired relief pitcher Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for four players.
The Friars gave up a lot of talent, but it’s odd to see a first-place team like the Brewers trade their All-Star closer.
They must not have liked their chances to retain Hader after the 2023 season, when he is scheduled to become a free agent.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan said that the return for Hader is “significant”, and includes left-handed closer Taylor Rogers, lefty pitching prospect Robert Gasser, outfielder Esteury Ruiz and right-hander Dinelson Lamet.
However, Passan also notes that the Padres retained their absolute best prospect and may still be positioned to make a run at Juan Soto, should the Nationals keep him available in the next few hours.
“That said: The Padres didn’t give up any of the main prospects they’ve been talking about in myriad other deals. C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood and Jackson Merrill all remain, as does MacKenzie Gore. Could the Padres really pull off a Juan Soto-Josh Hader double?,” he wondered.
That said: The Padres didn’t give up any of the main prospects they’ve been talking about in myriad other deals. C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood and Jackson Merrill all remain, as does MacKenzie Gore. Could the Padres really pull off a Juan Soto-Josh Hader double?
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 1, 2022
The Padres Are Going For It
That “double” would be a coup.
The Padres’ once-elite farm system has been weakened in the last couple of years because GM AJ Preller has used most of that depth to make trades.
However, as they say, “flags fly forever”: if San Diego wins a World Series championship either this year or next, minor league and prospect depth won’t matter.
Hader has a 4.24 ERA this season, but the number is at 2.48 for his career and he is one of the most consistently dominant late-inning arms in MLB.
This trade has the potential to be a win-win.
NEXT: Joe Musgrove And The Padres Make It Official