USA Today Insider Predicts Dodgers Sign All-Star Closer Josh Hader

Is Hader the next big move for the Dodgers?

One of the better free agents still on the market is All-Star closer Josh Hader. Hader is coming off a great season with the San Diego Padres, and is expected to pursue a contract that would make him the highest paid reliever in baseball.

Last season with the Padres, Hader posted an ERA of 1.28 and a WHIP of 1.10. He also had 33 saves. 

While the Dodgers' priority isn't in their bullpen, they have been looking at different options. The front office is trying to improve the roster all across the board.

MLB Insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today is predicting that the Dodgers will end up signing Hader this winter. Nightengale says that he could end up falling into the Dodgers' lap, due to a small market.

"The Phillies would seem to be a natural fit, but they have no interest. The Texas Rangers could badly use him, but say they don’t have the cash. It could leave Hader falling in the Dodgers’ lap. 

Prediction: Dodgers"

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today

Hader has been linked with the Dodgers a few times over the last few weeks, and it's starting to feel like a possibility. L.A. has been hesitant to hand out long-term deals to free-agent relievers, but Hader is the best in the game.

Maybe L.A. decides that they want to completely shore up their bullpen, making Hader a target. The price tag would be high, but he would give them a legitimate shutdown closer that they could trust at the end of games.

"There’s not a reliever on the free-agent or trade market in the same stratosphere as Hader, a five-time All-Star who has been the game’s best reliever for years. The trouble is that his price-tag is in a different stratosphere than the rest, too, seeking to eclipse Edwin Diaz’s five-year, $102 million contract with the Mets."



Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today

Landing Hader would signal a change in how the front office has normally run things, but this is the offseason to do it. Hader would give the team a strong one-two punch with pitcher Evan Phillips, and L.A. wouldn't have to worry about a closer any longer.