After making sure their starting rotation is locked down for the foreseeable future, the Philadelphia Phillies have little more to accomplish this summer. Honestly, unless the starting market collapses unexpectedly, the only upgrades they are considering are within their bullpen unit. The Phillies still need to add an arm after Craig Kimbrel left to sign a free agent contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Before Jordan Hicks signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants, they expressed interest in him.
Josh Hader, the finest reliever available, is expected to be acquired by Philadelphia, according to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, who believes the team is still looking for that one bullpen component this offseason. “Hader, the greatest closer available, hasn’t been mentioned in many rumours this winter. We believe that a contender like the Phillies is more likely to reconsider their stance and see Hader as a very nice finishing touch the longer this goes on,” the author adds. Early on, it was thought that the Phillies would be the best team to sign the left-hander, but based on the deal he is seeking, it appears that little communication has taken place between the two teams. According to reports, Hader wants to be paid more than the MLB record for a closer—Edwin Diaz’s $102 million, five-year contract. Philadelphia isn’t likely interested in spending that much money on a single reliever, given that they are already paying the largest payroll in the history of their team for the upcoming season.
Hader is without a doubt a top player. That isn’t the problem. Given his career ERA of 2.50 over seven Major League seasons and his 1.28 ERA in 61 appearances last season, it’s possible that he deserves the kind of deal he’s seeking this winter. But there has been an obvious quietness in the market. Perhaps this makes it possible for the Phillies to jump on him when his asking price drops and add one of the top bullpens in the league to complete their lineup.
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