Brewers Trade Rumors: Phillies Interested in Milwaukee All-Star

It wouldn’t be a recent Milwaukee Brewers off-season without trade rumors and closer Josh Hader.

Hader has been now linked to the Philadelphia Phillies, who are looking to make a World Series run next year after just missing the playoffs in 2021 to the eventual World Series Champions Atlanta Braves. The Phillies will need several pieces to do that, including a shutdown closing pitcher.

Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader has his name on the Philadelphia Phillies’ wish list for their new closer this winter.

Hader has been linked to trade rumors for the past two to three seasons now. The three time All-Star and three time NL Reliever of the Year, including this year, has had a target on him from bigger market teams since his debut.

Sometimes it’s the New York Yankees, sometimes it’s the San Diego Padres. The Phillies can throw their hat in the ring now too. Per the Heyman tweet, the Phillies might not want to give up as much for a new closer, but that hasn’t stopped teams before.

Philadelphia doesn’t have a great farm system, and their lack of prospects near big-league ready means the Phillies might have to deal from their big league roster if they’re going to land the Crew’s flame-throwing closer.

It will be a busy off-season when it comes to Josh Hader talk. Hader is looking to make around $10MM in arbitration this year. The big thing with Hader is that the Brewers, or whatever team has him, has control for at least two more seasons. He won’t hit free agency until after the 2023 season, when he turns 30.

Hader recently won his third NL Reliever of the Year for the 2021 season. He ended with a 1.23 ERA, 102 Ks, a .421 OPS, 0.81 WHIP and a 45.5% strikeout percentage. He led in all of those categories except for ERA, in which he was second overall.

He ended the season with 34 saves, just three less than his career high of 37 in 2019. Next season, he will only need four more to get to 100 career saves.

There is some chatter that this year would be the perfect time to trade Hader. He is at the top of his game, Milwaukee would get a great haul of players and prospects in return and the receiving team would have him for two seasons.

He is an invaluable part of the Brewers team, and the trade speculation has only begun. Don’t be surprised if he isn’t linked to at least half of the MLB teams before the start of the 2022 season. The Brewers are always getting calls for Hader, but no one has offered the right price yet.