Padres News: Josh Hader Placed Among Best Strikeout Artists in MLB

He gets the job done when he is needed.

The San Diego Padres have had their fair of struggles this season but there are gems on this roster and they extend beyond just the star power of Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and company. When the game comes down to the ninth inning and the Friars need a man on the mound to take care of business, few do it better than Josh Hader.

In 22 games with the Padres in 2023, Hader has continued his reign as one of the elite closers in the MLB with a 0.82 ERA and 13 saves. The first month of this season also saw him take home the NL Reliever award and he has been able to remain composed in a rather disappointing start for San Diego. 

It is going to be very interesting to see what type of contract Hader seeks in this next free agency period due to him being on a one-year deal with the Friars right now. Respect for his game is starting to grow around the league and that will certainly impact the amount of years and money he asks for.

Josh Hader, 86mph Wipeout Slider. 🌊 pic.twitter.com/HwQPNCkxWP

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 2, 2023

"Now, Josh Hader. There's a guy who can overpower hitters, and there's nothing complicated about how he goes about it.His fastball (which plays like a four-seamer but is technically a sinker) has never accounted for less than 65 percent of his pitches, but even knowing that it's coming is no help to opposing hitters. The whiff rate against his fastball has never gone lower than 30 percent.Hader's slider also does its job. As in, give hitters such a different look that they can be twice as likely to whiff on it relative to his fastball."(Via Bleacher Report)

There are few that can do it like Hader and we cannot to see him continue dominating the mound late in matches for the rest of the season.