Mets Rumors: Interest in Josh Hader brings up fear of another Edwin Diaz situation

The latest New York Mets rumors have suggested the team’s first big splash of the winter may be a trade for Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader. Could this be Edwin Diaz all over again?

A quiet New York Mets offseason may soon get a little busier. The latest Mets rumors mention the team’s interest in a trade for Milwaukee Brewers hurler Josh Hader. The hard-throwing lefty is coming off a third straight productive year—this one where he earned a personal best 37 saves while striking out more than 16 batters per nine.

As with many Mets rumors, there is good and bad of making this trade happening. The good is quite obvious. Hader is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. The bad is in relation to how most of us feel about Edwin Diaz right now.

Just one year ago, Mets rumors came to fruition when the team acquired Diaz and Robinson Cano from the Seattle Mariners in a blockbuster trade. At the time, there was little doubt Diaz would perform well as the team’s closer. Unfortunately, we can debate that he was the bigger problem in this trade.

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Diaz was horrific in his first year in Flushing. During the summer months, he was one of baseball’s most unreliable closers. If not for his many blunders, the story of the 2019 Mets may have ended in the postseason.

And if not for Diaz, I think Mets fans would feel a little differently about the possibility of bringing Hader to New York.

Statistically, there’s little reason for the Flushing Faithful to reject the notion of trading for Hader. It’s the expected high-cost of a young and controllable flamethrower which has many timid about Brodie Van Wagenen’s first potential big deal of his second winter. There’s no urgency for Milwaukee to unload their prized reliever if the return doesn’t bring them some elite talent.

The Brewers have been an active team thus far this winter both in adding and subtracting players. They lost Yasmani Grandal and Mike Moustakas to free agency. However, they did swing a big trade involving younger players with the San Diego Padres.

With Christian Yelich and company still in a position to compete, they would likely hope to land at least one major leaguer in the deal such as J.D. Davis or Dominic Smith plus some of the best prospects the orange and blue have to offer.

Mets rumors this winter have been light with much of the focus going on the team looking to acquire Starling Marte via free agency. However, with a guy like Kevin Pillar getting non-tendered, the free agency options are now more open for them to pursue trades to help improve the bullpen.

Next. Is Starling Marte an improvement over Brandon Nimmo?

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Is Hader a guy the Mets should seriously pursue? If so, how much should they be willing to give up?

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