The Brewers are apparently willing to trade their ace reliever Josh Hader which comes as surprising news. Hader is an integral part of the Brewers and he factors into a lot of Brewers wins. The apparent reasoning behind the Brewers' willingness to trade Hader has something to do with his rising cost. He's projected to earn $4.6 million in arbitration this year and that number will only go up in the future.

Hader, the winner of two consecutive NFL Reciever of the Year awards is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. In 2019, he posted a 2.62 E.R.A.

, in 61 games, while converting 37 of 44 save opportunities. In 75 2/3 innings pitched, he struck out 138 batters, while only giving up 41 hits, for an opponent average of .155. In his career, in which he has appeared in 151 games and 204 2/3 innings pitched, he holds a 2.42 E.R.A. with 39 holds, 49 saves, 349 strikeouts compared to just 102 hits given up for a ridiculous opponent average of .146. He has also been to the all-star game twice.

As he's controlled through 2023, the Brewers will demand a king's ransom for him and won't settle for anything less. Here is what they can get in return for Hader.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers get: Hader

Brewers get: P Kenta Maeda, P Tony Gonsolin, P Mitchell White and MI Jacob Amaya

The Dodgers are in dire need of bullpen help so the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman should immediately pick up the phone and ask the Brewers about Hader.

The Brewers have struggled with their rotation for a long time so they can get disgruntled Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda, sixth-ranked pitching prospect Tony Gonsolin, ninth-ranked pitching prospect Mitchell White, and middle infielder Jacob Amaya who's ranked 13 in the Dodgers organization.

For the past few years, the Dodgers have struggled to get reliable relievers to set up closer Kenley Jansen.

Josh Hader fits that bill perfectly as he's been an outstanding relief pitcher for the Brewers. Before he was the closer, Hader was a set-up man who set up Corey Knebel but ended up being the full time closer for the Brewers last season as Knebel underwent Tommy John surgery. If the Dodgers were to acquire Hader, he would pitch in the seventh and eighth innings to set up Jansen although he had the worst season of his career last year so in the case that Jansen struggles again in 2020, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts can just hand the closer's role to Hader.

In Maeda, the Brewers would get an immediate piece to add to their weak rotation. Maeda isn't happy in LA as he's been shuffling from the rotation and bullpen the past few years but wants to be a full-time starter. In Milwaukee, Maeda would for sure be in the rotation full time and would possibly be the Brewers ace. Maeda holds a career record of 47-35 with a 3.87 E.R.A. with 641 strikeouts, 500 hits given up and an opponent average of .227 in 589 innings pitched. He's owed $12.5 million over the next four years. Gonsolin made his major league debut in 2019 where he finished with a 2.93 E.R.A. with a very good opponent average of .178. In his career in the minors, he has a 3.33 E.R.A. with 315 strikeouts and 243 hits given up in 270 1/3 innings pitched.

He is also pretty good at limiting the long ball. White's career minor league numbers are a 3.97 E.R.A. with 311 strikeouts compared to 257 hits given up and would be able to help the Brewers in 2020. In 2019, Amaya slashed .260/.369/.391.

Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies get: Hader

Brewers get: SS Bryson Stott, P Adonis Medina, P Francisco Morales, and P David Parkinson

After a huge 2018-19 offseason, the Phillies had a disappointing season finishing exactly .500. With the disappointing season, that means that changes need to be made and one change could be acquiring Hader to help their bullpen. The Phillies will have to part ways with third-ranked prospect Bryson Stott, fourth-ranked prospect Adonis Medina, sixth-ranked prospect Francisco Morales and eighteenth-ranked prospect David Parkinson.

The Phillies currently have Hector Neris as their closer. Neris had a good season by converting 28 of 34 save opportunities with a 2.93 E.R.A., 89 strikeouts compared to 45 hits given up in 67 2/3 innings pitched with an opponent average of .186. While those numbers are good, Hader is better. In the case that Hader lands in the city of Brotherly Love, Neris would become the set-up man which would make the bullpen deeper. The Phillies bullpen remains shaky especially with the uncertainty surrounding David Robertson who was injured for almost all of last season so adding Hader would help a lot.

The Brewers would acquire four prospects in which those prospects all play a position that the Brewers are in need of.

While he's only reached Single-A, Stott slashed a very good .295/.391/.494 and is ranked 89 among all prospects. Medina has a career E.R.A. of 3.60 in the minors whereas, in 2019, Morales posted a 3.82 E.RA. with 129 strikeouts compared to 82 hits given up in 96 2/3 innings pitched. In his minor league career, he has 241 strikeouts compared to 170 hits given up in 194 1/3 innings pitched. Parkinson's career minor league numbers are an E.R.A. of 2.71, 301 strikeouts, 228 hits given up and an opponent average of .226.

Minnesota Twins

Twins get: Hader

Brewers get: OF Alex Kirilloff, P Jordan Balazovic, and P Blayne Enlow

The Twins won the AL Central but got swept by the Yankees in the ALDS in large part due to their pitching, both the rotation and bullpen.

If the Twins were to trade for Hader, he would vastly improve their bullpen. Also if Hader were to be in a Twins uniform, he might be able to have a unique role of being a multi-inning closer. To get Hader, the Twins will have to pay a steep price of second-ranked prospect Alek Kirilloff, fourth-ranked prospect Jordan Balazovic and Blayne Enlow who's ranked 12.

The Twins are in dire need of rotation help but they should also be seeking bullpen help too. While Taylor Rogers led the team with 30 saves, nine different Twins pitchers recorded a save last season. Rogers is also no guarantee to repeat last season's success which makes it all more important to seek consistent relievers. Due to the Twins weak bullpen, if Hader finds himself in Minnesota, he could find himself starting the eighth inning and pitching six outs which would be a unique role as no other closer has a role like that.

The Brewers would get a huge return regarding the quality of the prospects if they were to do this deal. Kirilloff is the fifteenth ranked prospect in all of baseball and could be Ryan Braun's eventual replacement in the outfield. In his career in the minors, Kirilloff has slashed .317/.365/.498 with 350 hits. Balazovic looks like a future frontline starter as in 2019, he posted a 2.69 E.R.A. with 129 strikeouts and only 67 hits given up in 93 2/3 innings pitched with an opponent average of .193. Balazovic is ranked 76 among all prospects in baseball. Enlow has a 3.36 career E.R.A. in the minors.
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