Hader nadir
Reliever will remain useful even when hot streak ends
IF YOU haven’t heard the name Josh Hader over the course of this season, particularly over the last week, chances are you’ve been living under a rock (or in a place with really shoddy Wi-Fi).
Hader looks like Jacob deGrom (before his haircut) had a kid with Justin Turner, but the kid turned out to be left-handed. That kid is proving why middle relievers — like Andrew Miller, Adam Ottavino and Dellin Betances (when he is on his game) — are so valuable to fantasy rosters.
Let’s quickly run through Hader’s ridiculous accomplishments for the Brewers this season:
He recorded four saves before Fri day, all of which were multipleinning efforts, including Monday, when he struck out eight of the nine batters he faced in 22/ innings. He became the first pitcher since saves became an official stat( in 1969) to strike out eight batters in a save that was less than three innings, and the crazy effort tied him with 12 others for the fifthmost strikeouts in a save.
Hader’s 19.5 strikeouts per nine innings not only is by far the best in baseball, it is the best percentage posted in a single month, according to Baseball Reference. Aroldis Chapman’s 17.67 in 2014 is second best.
Hader, who had pitched just 18 innings heading into Friday, was tied with Mike Foltynewicz (32 innings) and Carlos Carrasco (431/ innings) for the 30th most strikeouts in the league.
Hader had struck out 62.9 percent of batters he has faced, had a 0.41 FIP and a 20.2 percent swinging strike percentage.
“The dude’ s ridiculous ,” DraftKings analyst Peter Jen- nings said. “A ton of strikeouts. ... His slider’s ridiculous. ... He’s unhittable.”
That slider, which averages just 81.5 mph, is a pitch Hader is using 29.6 percent of the time. In 2017, when he was 2-3 with a 2.08 ERA and was striking out 12.8 per nine innings, he used it just 11.6 percent of the t i me. Only Edwin Diaz and Ky l e Gibson have lower contact rates on their slider. Obviously this pace, at which Hader would pitch approximately 112 innings and f inish with about 242 strikeouts, isn’t sustainable. You’re more likely to have a cooking class called “All the Jewish Classics” taught to you by Santa Claus.
Also, Corey Knebel is working his way back from a strained hamstring and could be reinserted as the closer as soon as next week and cut into Hader’s save opportunities. The question now becomes: Because the pace is impossible to maintain and he likely will lose some save opportunities, is Hader worth keeping?
“I would think so, with all those strikeouts and the same rol e,” Jennings sa i d. “It all depends on your league’s scoring. He’s not giving up homers ... and striking everyone out. There’s definitely value keeping him around.”
Hader is pitching roughly twice a week, often for more than just one inning.
Milwa u ke e ’s bullpen was ranked second in ERA (2. 36), strikeouts (138) and opponent average ( . 203), and has t he third-best pitching staff in the majors. They’re good because
of their bullpen, and Hader is a huge part of that.
Even if Hader doesn’t strike out eight in every appearance and his 19.5 K/9 falls to 13 or 14, he is worth it. Even if he doesn’t collect another save or allows the occasional run, Hader still is extremely valuable to your fantasy staff. His strikeout totals, paired with the multi-inning appearances, make him worth picking up, in those few leagues in which he is available, and keeping in your RP spot at
all times.