Milwaukee Brewers: What did Josh Hader do on Monday?

The Milwaukee Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. Reliever Josh Hader earned his fourth save, but that’s not why Monday’s win was special.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Josh Hader did something truly amazing during his 2 2/3 innings of relief work on Monday. He faced nine batters. One earned a walk. The other eight? All eight struck out. For almost three innings, the Brewers defense barely had to move.

Hader is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history to record eight strikeouts in an outing less than three innings.

What did the numbers really look like?

Hader needed 37 pitches to finish off the Reds. 26 went for strikes. He lowered his season ERA to 1.00, and boosted his K/9 to 19.50. He’s struck out 39 batters in 18 innings so far this year.

Who drew the walk?

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart worked a five-pitch walk against Hader in the eighth inning. Hader responded by striking out Alex Blandino and Adam Duvall to end the inning.

Will Hader pitch tomorrow, too?

Probably not? Hader threw 37 pitches to record the final eight outs. While he was completely dominant, he’s likely to get a day off tomorrow. His season high is 41 against the Chicago Cubs on April 6th. Hader worked two innings, allowed one run, and struck out three. The Milwaukee Brewers will probably turn to Jacob Barnes or Matt Albers if they need someone to pick up a save.

Next: Luis Ortiz headed to DL

Hader has made the leap from top prospect to one of the top relievers in the game. He may end the season as the best relief pitcher in baseball…if he stays in the bullpen. Hader is must watch every time he takes the mound. He has the skill to make history during every appearance, just like he did on Monday.