Dodgers Continue To Be Linked With Josh Hader This Offseason
MLB free agency is one of the best times of the year, and it’s always exciting to see what the Dodgers are going to do. The team is once again expected to be one of the major players on the market, and they are looking to upgrade the roster all across the board.
However, the priority is within their starting rotation, but that doesn’t mean they will completely ignore the bullpen. Before their second-half turnaround, LA did have a ton of issues coming from their relief pitchers.
While the team isn’t likely to spend big within their bullpen, they continue to be linked with closer Josh Hader for some reason. MLB insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com listed LA as one of the top landing spots for the best reliever on the open market.
“The Dodgers had the second-lowest bullpen ERA in the National League last season, and although Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol have been outstanding, the issues in the starting rotation could prompt Los Angeles to form a super bullpen. Adding Hader into the mix would accomplish exactly that, taking some of the pressure off of the starters in the process.”
Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com
It feels like Hader could be put in with the Dodgers just to drive up the price for himself, but adding Hader does make some sense on the surface. If the team were to whiff on multiple top-tier starters this winter, bringing in Hader could serve as a backup option to still bring in more talent.
If anything, they could get themselves a dominant closer that they could rely upon in the later stages of the game. He was great for the San Diego Padres last season, posting an ERA of 1.28 and a WHIP of 1.10. Hader had 33 saves for the Friars as well.
So, Should the Dodgers Sign Josh Hader?
Landing Hader would create one of the best bullpen duos in the game today with Evan Phillips and they would be feared by opponents in the late innings. The team hasn’t had a shutdown closer in a few years, but with their strong relief system in place, they also haven’t needed one.
Hader has been one of the best closers in the game for a long time now, but LA should steer clear. Giving the kind of money that he is expected to get to a relief pitcher is very risky.
The Dodgers would be better off putting their resources into another area of the team and rolling the dice with the bullpen arms that they have. Landing Hader is a nice thought, but it’s not a very practical idea for this current ideation of the team.
Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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