3 San Diego Padres who will not be back next season

Josh Hader will not be back with San Diego Padres in 2024

According to reporting from the San Diego Union-Tribune, the possible overuse of Hader was one of the areas of contention between Melvin and Preller. The two were never on the same page about how to use the closer.

Hader ultimately being firm about being overused and wanting to be available for crucial performances down the stretch stems from his time with the Brewers. Melvin defended his closer to the media, noting his usage was just how things were going to be done. The Union-Tribune reported, "Hader was arguably overused by the Brewers ... Hader had that workload used against him in arbitration. So it is understandable he felt forced to put his foot down regarding his usage."

It seems this was frustrating for Hader, and understandably, he wanted to protect himself going into free agency. It will be interesting to see if this factors into what should be a lucrative long-term deal for the closer.

Hader was 2-3 with 33 saves and a 1.28 ERA. He pitched in 61 games, finishing 52. He threw 85 strikeouts over 56.1 innings. Hader had a 33.6-percent chase rate. The lefty is a feared pitcher to face in late innings. Several teams are looking to get that critical piece to close out games, which makes Hader a massive option for teams going into free agency. He should get a nice payday for his talents.