Padres Rumors: Insider Predicts Josh Hader Wins Major Award After Dominant Season

A great contract year.

Though on a team that's struggled in the standings for 2023, Josh Hader's performance for the Padres this year has been nothing short of spectacular.

In his role as the Friars' closer, Hader has put together another great campaign, earning consideration for possibly another pristine award for the team's pitching staff this season. Jim Bowden of The Athletic certainly thinks so.

Trevor Hoffman Award (NL Reliever of the Year)

Josh Hader, LHP, Padres (2.1 WAR)

Hader will enter free agency after a dominant season in which he’s logged a 1.26 ERA and 30 saves, with 79 strikeouts and 28 walks in 50 innings.

via Jim Bowden, The Athletic

After a trade sent Hader to San Diego from his previous team in Milwaukee, the former Brewer has been a rock solid addition to the Padres' bullpen in parts of two seasons with the franchise. 

In his San Diego tenure, Hader has compiled over 100 strikeouts for the team with 38 saves in over 75 appearances for the team, returning to the All-Star Game for the fifth time in his career in 2023.

Set to hit the open market, Hader's value to the team has been great in his ability to shut the door when called upon, and he will be significantly compensated for that work in the near future. 

Whether such a contract will come with the Padres or with another team remains to be seen, similar to another prospective favorite for a pitching award in his teammate, Blake Snell. 

With Snell's second Cy Young award of his career all but a foregone conclusion and Hader likely to earn the highest reliever honor in the league, the Padres will have some questions on their hands about who, if either, of these pitchers they'll want to bring back. 

No matter where either of them end up, their work for the 2023 Padres will be compensated both in the awards category and for both of their next contracts in free agency come winter.