San Diego Padres reliever Josh Hader went from being one of the top-three relievers in baseball of the last few years to looking like a Triple-A pitcher in a span of a little less than a month.
Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers around the trade deadline, the left-hander has lost his way and has struggled more than at any point in his successful career.
MLB insider Jeff Passan detailed some of the ugly numbers to illustrate how badly Hader is slumping.
“Since joining the San Diego Padres, Josh Hader has thrown 4.2 innings and allowed 12 runs on 12 hits with seven walks and eight strikeouts. An absolutely brutal stretch that may have seen its nadir today, with six earned runs in one-third of an inning. His season ERA is now 6.52,” he tweeted.
Since joining the San Diego Padres, Josh Hader has thrown 4.2 innings and allowed 12 runs on 12 hits with seven walks and eight strikeouts. An absolutely brutal stretch that may have seen its nadir today, with six earned runs in one-third of an inning. His season ERA is now 6.52.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 28, 2022
While he wasn’t nearly this bad in Milwaukee, it was clear by his 4.24 ERA that he wasn’t at his best.
He Has Been A Huge Disappointment
He pitched 34 innings with that ERA with the Brewers, but the Padres took a chance on him and his excellent 2.78 career ERA.
It’s safe to say that they may be regretting the trade already: San Diego wanted Hader because they wanted to build a super bullpen with an eye on the playoffs.
Clearly, he hasn’t performed the way the team expected him to.
It’s unclear if his mechanics are just off or if he is hiding an injury.
In any case, don’t be surprised if the Padres hit the pause button with him and send him to the injured list so he can work on his struggles for a couple of weeks.
His transformation has been baffling, but he should bounce back eventually, assuming he is healthy.