Milwaukee Brewers: Can Josh Hader set a Major League record?

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Josh Hader has already earned a few single game records this year. However, there’s one mark that has stood for over 50 years that he could shatter this year.

Josh Hader set a single game record earlier this year when he struck out eight batters in 2 2/3 innings of work against the Cincinnati Reds on April 30th. No pitcher had ever fanned eight batter in fewer than three innings of work.

There’s another record that could take all year for Hader to reach, but the Milwaukee Brewers reliever may get there.

Which record could Hader break?

In 1964, Boston Red Sox reliever Dick “The Monster” Radatz struck out 181 batters in 79 appearances. That’s the all-time, single-season record for strikeouts in a season by a reliever. Radatz often worked multiple innings while setting his record, and ended the year with 157 innings pitched.

How’s Hader doing?

Really, really well. In 37 innings, Hader has 72 strikeouts. He’s averaging almost two strikeouts per inning, and currently owns a K/9 of 17.51.

Does Hader have a shot at the record?

At his current pace, Hader needs to throw 91 innings to reach 182 strikeouts. The Milwaukee Brewers have played 66 games, so just under 41% of the season is complete. If Hader continues to work the same schedule, he should throw inning #91 on the final day of the season.

Hader is on pace to break Radatz’ record, but it’s by a razor thin margin. There’s also a chance that the Milwaukee Brewers could shut Hader down if they fall out of contention. They could also shut Hader down or limit his workload if they clinch a playoff slot early.

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Hader has a shot at breaking the record, but it’s amazing that it’s even possible. Radatz needed over sixty more innings to achieve his record, and his K/9 was only 10.4. The fact that Hader is ‘on pace’ to set a record, and do it in so few innings is remarkable in and of itself. Now all we have to do is give Hader a cool nickname. “Haderade,” doesn’t quote roll off the tongue the same as as “The Monster.”