MLB Best: Is Craig Kimbrel the Best Reliever in Baseball?

2. Josh Hader (Milwaukee Brewers)

I was watching Josh Hader strike out three batters against the San Diego Padres in one inning on Opening Day of last season, and as I watching the game, I thought ‘this guy is going to be special’. Well, I think it is safe to say he is special… very special.

In 2018, Hader had an ERA of 2.43 with 143 strikeouts in addition to notching 12 saves. You may look at the saves total, and think that isn’t very impressive, but he usually came in and pitched two or three innings in any part of the game from about the fifth inning all the way to the ninth inning.

In the 2018 postseason, he did not allow a single run in 10 innings pitched. He struck out 16 combined in both the Division Series and Championship Series with only one walk.

Hader actually pitched for Milwaukee in 2017, earning a 2.08 in 47.2 innings pitched, but he did not catch on until last season when he led his club to the National League Championship vs the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 2019, Hader is definitely going to be managed differently because an arm injury could happen at any time, especially if he is going to pitch two or three innings at a time without very much rest.

He is projecting to have 3.09 earned run average this season, and strikeout 98 batters in 70 innings.

He will not have as big of an explosive year because batters will get to know him, then adjust to his high fastball, and will work the counts more leading to more pitches thrown, and fewer innings pitched.

I do like the rest of the bullpen with great arms like Corey Knebel, Junior Guerra, and Jeremy Jeffress. All three of them can pitch multiple innings at times, which will give Hader more rest to keep him healthy, and better for when he is on the mound.

I couldn’t put Hader in front of my #1 reliever because that reliever has been dominant for a greater amount of time….