Braves Rumors: Postseason roster surprise, Josh Hader latest, World Series simulation
By John Buhler
Atlanta Braves rumors: The latest on adding Josh Hader in free agency
While San Diego Padres star reliever Josh Hader will be hitting free agency, it is not a guarantee that he will be leaving sunny Southern California in 2024. Hader, who Braves Country fondly remembers for giving up the series-clinching home run to Freddie Freeman in the 2021 NLDS, has spent the better part of the last two years with the Padres. He played with the Milwaukee Brewers previously.
Although he will be one of the top relief pitchers hitting free agency, Hader is open to staying put.
"Absolutely. We love this place. We love the fans, you can see the support that they gave us all season, last season too. And these guys. It [was] a fun season and a fun year and half that I’ve been here and my family and I have enjoyed it. Like I’ve said, we’ll see what happens."
Hader would then add that last year's four-final team failed to meet reasonable expectations in 2023.
"Obviously there were a lot of expectations for us at the start of the year. Hopefully next year we can bring some of these guys back and we’ll make a run at it again, we’ll see what the front office has in mind. I think that, if you put this team in the same situation next year, I think it’s probably a very different outcome."
Here is the entire clip of Hader speaking to Marty Caswell on the MartyTimeTV YouTube channel.
Overall, Hader is a five-time NL All-Star and three-time Hoffman winner still very much at the peak of his powers. However, he is barely on the good side of 30, meaning we could see a regression to his game due to arm trouble, fatigue or things of that nature. Where he goes in free agency will decide if Hader will ever be a World Series champion, possibly improving on his hall-of-fame-level trajectory.
Ultimately, if he likes what the San Diego brass is about, then it makes sense to possibly stay put. Petco Park is well-known for its ability to favor pitchers. Given that the Padres are the biggest ticket in town, staying gives him a greater level of local celebrity than he could garner pretty much anywhere else in baseball. Although the Braves might win more than San Diego, he is probably not coming here.
Since when has Alex Anthopoulos paid a premium for a player rapidly approaching his 30th birthday?