Josh Hader Free Agency Destinations: Top 3 landing spots for flamethrowing closing pitcher

Josh Hader is arguably the best closing pitcher in the MLB. The four-time All-Star has been elite since bursting onto the scene with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017. Now a member of the San Diego Padres, Hader has continued his domination this season, posting a dazzling 0.95 ERA with 11 saves through 19.0 innings.

The 29-year-old veteran has shown no signs of slowing down as he heads into unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2023 season. While the San Diego Padres will likely want to retain their All-Star closer, however, with Josh Hader looking to sign a massive new contract, they will need to pay up.

"Josh hader is disgustingly good at throwing baseballs" - @TheKrustyKreb

That being said, if Hader hits the open market, teams will be lining up to secure the rights of the superstar closing pitcher. Here's a look at three potential destinations for the four-time All-Star if he does not re-sign with the San Diego Padres.

#1 - The Los Angeles Dodgers would likely spend to bolster their bullpen with Josh Hader

The Los Angeles Dodgers are nearly elite at every position, except they have one glaring weakness, the closing position. While the team entered the season with the plan of dividing the closing duties among several relief pitchers including Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol, Hader would be a drastic upgrade over both.

"We all realize the natural progression of Josh Hader’s career is for him to join the Dodgers as a free agent and Mark Prior taps him with his magic wand and he becomes elite again right" - @_therealdrose

If Josh Hader were to pursue a World Series title, the Dodgers could present him with that opportunity every season. The fact that Los Angeles has shown no hesitation in spending money in the past suggests that they could be interested in landing Hader on the open market.

#2 - The Texas Rangers could also use bullpen help

Much like the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Texas Rangers not only need help in the bullpen but also have shown aggressiveness when it comes to signing free agents. The team's bullpen currently holds a 4.57 ERA, which emphasizes the importance for the club to add an elite talent like Hader.

The team has shown no hesitation in handing out massive free agent contracts to the likes of Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, which could lead to Hader becoming the next star in Texas.

#3 - Could Hader find himself in the Bronx?

Last season, the New York Yankees profited from the surprise emergence of Clay Holmes as the team's closer. However, the Yankees are never a team to shy away from landing elite talent, which could make Hader an intriguing closing option for the Bronx Bombers.

"@JackCurryYES The Yankees are getting Josh Hader next year 100 percent." - @Brookly74041750

Clay Holmes is not only older than Hader but also has a shorter track record of success at the Major League level, which may cause the Yankees to look at the All-Star in free agency.