The bullpen for the Detroit Tigers appears to be in much better form than it was in 2023. With the additions of Andrew Chafin and Shelby Miller, the bullpen should perform significantly better than it did last season.
However, you can always improve. Scott Harris has stated as much. On paper, this appears to be a decent bullpen as is, but it could be better.
So why not enhance it with the greatest pain reliever on the market?
I should preface this by noting that I believe the odds of the Detroit Tigers signing Josh Hader are extremely low. It’s not impossible; they could accomplish it if they really wanted to, but I doubt they do. I’ll go over the reasons why later.
But if the Tigers can land Hader, oh boy. That would make this one of the league’s greatest bullpens.
Hader has dominated for the most part since 2017. He has a career K/9 of more than 15, which is ridiculous. Walks have been an issue for him at times, but he’s been one of the finest left-handed relievers in baseball over the past few seasons.
After a difficult 2022 season, last season was a great step up for him. In 56.1 innings, he had a 1.28 ERA, 33 saves, and a K/9 of 13.58.
Hader’s greatest strength may be his versatility. He is not need to be the closest. When he was with the Brewers, he was occasionally used as a multi-inning shutdown reliever. In 2018, he pitched 81.1 innings with only 12 saves. A.J. Hinch could utilize him whenever he sees fit, which is how he prefers to use his relievers.
Hader would also provide the Tigers with a third lefty to complement Chafin and Tyler Holton. That’s quite a collection of southpaws to select from.
Hader would also offer a lot of depth to this bullpen. Along with Hader, the Tigers would have Jason Foley, Alex Lange, Will Vest, Miller, Chafin, Holton, and either Beau Brieske, Alex Faedo, Miguel Diaz, or Brendan White to round out the roster. That’s a pretty deep bullpen when the only question mark is the last position.
Josh Hader would make an excellent addition to the Tigers’ bullpen. But it is unlikely to happen.
To begin, Hader is allegedly seeking a contract larger than the one signed by Edwin Diaz with the Mets last offseason. Diaz, for those who are unaware, signed a five-year, $102 million contract with New York after the 2022 season. That’s roughly $20 million per year for a pitcher who will only throw in 70-75 games. That is not wise spending, and this is coming from me, the “spend money” guy.
Harris, most likely, believes the same thing. Giving a large deal to a relief pitcher is extremely dangerous, especially given how erratic relievers are from year to year. Hader, after all, had a 5.22 ERA in 2022. He was terrific almost every other season, but that one poor year stands out and could easily happen again.
I’d love to see Josh Hader in the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen for the next five years, but it’s not going to happen. But we can fantasize.
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