Breaking: Yankees, Dodgers, Rangers in Fierce Battle – Who Will Land this Star Pitcher? ⚾🔥 #MLBTradeMadness

The potential signing of five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader is currently under consideration by the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers, as reported by Jim Bowden of CBS Sports. Bowden’s video report on December 28 revealed that Hader is aiming for a contract surpassing the five-year, $102 million deal secured by Edwin Díaz with the New York Mets last offseason, the most lucrative in MLB history for a relief pitcher. Despite his impressive performance with the San Diego Padres last season, where he achieved a dominant 1.28 ERA and 33 saves while striking out 85 batters in 56.1 innings, no team has yet proposed a deal of such magnitude for Hader.

While the Yankees, Dodgers, and Rangers have expressed interest in Hader, Bowden pointed out that all three teams are prioritizing acquiring or trading for starting pitchers before finalizing a deal for a closer like Hader. Bowden suggested that the Yankees might consider Hader if they are unable to re-sign Jordan Montgomery, though it is unlikely they would match the five-year deal Díaz received.

At 29 years old, Hader is aspiring to become the highest-paid reliever in MLB history, coinciding with the Dodgers’ substantial offseason spending, including record-breaking contracts for Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow.

Hader, a three-time National League Reliever of the Year, has played seven MLB seasons since his debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017. After being traded to the Padres in 2022, the Padres signed Japanese relief ace Yuki Matsui to replace him.

The addition of Hader to the Yankees’ already elite bullpen, which boasted the best bullpen ERA in MLB last season at 3.34, would strengthen their pitching roster for 2024. This move could compensate for the departure of Michael King, traded to the Padres, and contribute to the setup options alongside Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, and Jonathan Loaisiga.

While Hader has had remarkable achievements, such as becoming the fastest pitcher to reach 400 strikeouts in May 2021, he faced challenges during parts of the 2022 season after joining the Padres. Despite being temporarily removed from the closer role in August 2022, Hader bounced back to regain All-Star form in September 2022 and had a stellar 2023 season with the Padres.