Brewers trade Hader to Padres in 5-player blockbuster
The San Diego Padres acquired four-time All-Star closer Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Taylor Rogers, right-hander Dinelson Lamet, outfielder Esteury Ruiz, and left-handed prospect Robert Gasser, the teams announced on Monday.
"The players we are receiving in this trade help ensure that the future of the Milwaukee Brewers remains bright while not compromising our desire and expectation to win today," said Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns.
"This mix of present major-league talent and high-level prospects furthers our aim to get as many bites of the apple as possible, and ultimately, to bring a World Series to Milwaukee."
Hader has been one of MLB's most dominating bullpen arms in recent years, authoring a 2.48 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 0.88 WHIP, and 15.4 K/9 with 125 saves in 316 1/3 innings since debuting in 2017.
The 28-year-old will be eligible for free agency after the 2023 season.
The lefty sensation provides the Padres with stability in the ninth inning, without them having to trade any of their top prospects, such as C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, or Jackson Merrill.
San Diego also kept Mackenzie Gore, whose name has been floated in trade rumors, which should allow Padres general manager A.J. Preller to make additional moves if needed. The Padres have been linked to several players, including Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, in recent days.
Devin Williams, who hasn't allowed an earned run since May 10, is now expected to take over closing duties for the first-place Brewers. Rogers also has closing experience, saving 78 games for the Minnesota Twins and Padres throughout his career.
Rogers is the most notable player headed to the Brewers. The left-hander has pitched seven seasons in the bigs, authoring a 3.29 ERA and 10.3 K/9 in 361 career appearances. He'll earn the remainder of his $7.3-million salary and be a free agent at the end of this season.
Lamet has struggled to stay healthy since finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2020 when he completed the campaign with a 2.09 ERA, 2.48 FIP, and 12.1 K/9 in 69 innings. The Dominican has pitched out of the bullpen for the Padres this season, posting a 9.49 ERA in 13 outings while maintaining an 11.7 K/9.
Ruiz made his major-league debut for the Padres on July 12. The 23-year-old owns a .556 OPS in 27 plate appearances after impressing in the minors, where he slashed .333/.467/.560 with 13 homers, 46 RBIs, and 60 steals in 77 games.
The 23-year-old Gasser was ranked as the Padres' No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline after they chose him in the second round of the 2021 draft. The California native owns a 4-9 record with a 4.18 ERA and 11.5 K/9 in 18 starts for High-A Fort Wayne.
Milwaukee holds a three-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Central lead.