Reaction to the Brewers trading Josh Hader to the Padres

A shocking move kicks off trade season for the Brewers.

The Milwaukee Brewers have sent shockwaves across MLB by trading Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres for Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, Robert Gasser, and Esteury Ruiz. Rumors had been swirling that the Brewers were “listening” on offers for Hader, which is an annual occurrence, but it’s safe to say most Brewers fans didn’t think a trade would finally go down this time. It’s not often that a first place team trades their closer during the middle of a playoff push.

Yet, here we are. Despite struggling for most of July, Hader ends his Brewers tenure with a 2.58 ERA, 125 saves (which is second in franchise history behind Dan Plesac), 541 strikeouts, and three NL Reliever of the Year awards. He also made four All-Star teams. Hader will undoubtedly be missed.

Now what did the Brewers get in return? Taylor Rogers, also a lefty, will slot into the backend of the bullpen, in what role exactly remains to be seen. He began the season as San Diego’s closer, before being demoted recently. He had a great start to the season, but difficult stretches in June and July have his season ERA at 4.35 in 41.1 innings. His 2.35 FIP and some time in the pitching lab provide reason for optimism that he’ll bounce back.

Dinelson Lamet was once a lauded starting pitching prospect that finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting for the 2020 season. Injuries and inconsistent performance have dimmed his star quite a bit and he currently has a 9.49 ERA in 12.1 innings this season. The Brewers will look to help him return to form as he also is slated for a bullpen role.

Robert Gasser is a 23-year-old left-handed pitching prospect who made his pro debut last season after being drafted out of the University of Houston in the 2021 MLB Draft. He projects as a back half or middle of the rotation arm and will begin his Brewers career in Double-A Biloxi.

Last, but not least, is Esteury Ruiz. A right-handed outfielder, Ruiz began his career as an infielder, but is now focusing entirely on developing in centerfield. So far in 2022, he has slashed .333/.467/.560 combined in Double-A and Triple-A across 77 games. He’s also gotten a cup of coffee in the big leagues this year (27 plate appearances) and will report to the Nashville Sounds.

While discussing the move, David Stearns told reporters that the organization is “very active” on the phones. Will they add more bullpen pieces? Or, could they finally make a big push for an outfield bat? Stay tuned for all the chaos that may ensue.