MLB Rumors: Another Padres Star Wants To Talk Extension

San Diego Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller has been a busy man during the past year. Manny Machado was signed to his huge extension. So was Jake Cronenworth and Yu Darvish. Last season, it was Joe Musgrove. The year before, Fernando Tatis Jr. Not to mention the massive offseason signing this year of Xander Bogaerts. 

Next up for a big long-term contract? If closer Josh Hader has his way, it seems, he'd be next to sign on the dotted line. 

According to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, Hader "is believed open to extension talk."

Certainly, there have been rumblings from fans and followers alike in San Diego that a Hader deal is next up on the Friars' To-Do List. 

When the fireballing closer came over in a shocking deadline deal last August, the four-time All-Star was in the midst of a mid-season crisis, getting shelled to the tune of a 19.08 ERA in eight August appearances for the Pads, after a 12.54 ERA in his final month with the Milwaukee Brewers. But he quickly turned it around, recording an 0.87 ERA with six saves in his final 10 innings, with a 13:2 K/BB ratio.

Pretty wild that Josh Hader was legitimately the worst pitcher in baseball for like two months last year and now he's a million percent back

— Max Mannis (@MaxMannis) April 14, 2023

This season, it's been much of the same: a 1.50 ERA with four saves in four opportunities, and an 11:3 K/BB ratio in 6.0 innings. 

What would an extension for Hader possibly look like? With 136 career saves in six+ seasons, could he be looking at something similar to what another 29-year-old All-Star closer got this past offseason with the New York Mets? (That would be Edwin Diaz and his 5-year, $102M deal). 

Should be interesting to see how Preller approaches this one.

Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports