Brewers trade All-Star closer Josh Hader to Padres

Why did the Brewers trade Josh Hader?

Hader will be a free agent at the end of the 2023 season. He is a four-time All-Star and three-time NL Reliever of the Year Award winner. Due to his dominance and achievements, he is believed to be far too expensive for the Brewers to sign once he hits free agency. By trading him now, the Brewers have attained maximum value for him.

The players the Padres sent to Milwaukee

In exchange for Josh Hader, the Padres have sent their own closer, Taylor Rogers, to the Brewers. They have also sent left-handed pitcher Robert Gasser, their number seven overall prospect, as well as second baseman/outfielder Esteury Ruiz and reliever Dinelson Lamet. Below are each players’ stats from the 2022 season:

Taylor Rogers

1-5, 4.35 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 28 saves (leads the NL in games finished with 35). Rogers was an All-Star in 2021 with the Minnesota Twins.

Robert Gasser

High A: 4-9, 4.19 ERA, 1.26 WHIP in 18 starts

Esteury Ruiz

Minors: .333/.467/560, 13 home runs, 46 RBI. Majors: .222/.222/.333, 0 home runs, 2 RBI (14 games)

Dinelson Lamet

0-1, 9.49 ERA, 2.03 WHIP (13 games). Lamet finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2020

For what it’s worth, Baseball Trade Values rated this trade as a major overpay by the Brewers. Hader had a trade value of 15.5. The players they received from the Padres have a combined trade value of 11.1.