January 20th, 2024 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Late Friday morning it was announced that 29-year-old free agent left-hander and longtime Dodgers nemesis Josh Hader had signed a five-year/$95 million contract with the Houston Astros, thereby (finally) leaving the National League and especially the NL West.
As Dodgers fans know all too well, the Millersville, MD native and 19th-round draft pick in 2012 out of Old Mill High School in Millersville spent six seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and the last two with the division rival San Diego Padres, posting a combined 1-2 record and 3.50 ERA in his 18.0 relief innings pitched against the Dodgers. And while these aren’t overpowering numbers, he struck out 32 of the 77 Dodgers batters he faced in his combined 16 appearances against them while walking only 10. This equates to an impressive 3.20 K/BB ratio.
(Sean M. Haffey)
Although it was being reported on social media that the Dodgers were among the teams interested in the hard throwing lefty, there was no indication from the team that there was any merit to these reports.
The irony here is that Hader is returning to the Astros, where he was the team’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2014 before being traded to the Brewers in 2015.
The good news is that the Dodgers will face the Hader-less Padres 13 times during the 2024 regular season and the Hader-full Astros only thrice – July 26, 27, and 28 at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Play Ball!
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I continue to be shocked by the MLB contracts this year and Hader is at the top of the list
I would have been shocked for LAD to sign Hader. The bullpen isn’t a weakness, there’s some kind of upside and depth with Feyereisen and Treinen coming back, and losing more draft picks doesn’t seem to follow GO MO.
I think they’d rather see what they have in guys like Hurt and Vanasco than spend so much for so long on a reliever.
If they want to drop $$ on a lefty reliever, I hope they extend Ferguson!
Yes loaded with bullpen !
Still want Brazier but really have a good bunch !
We have a lefty or 2 .
Treinam freyerson getting a little crowded they’ll manage it’s what they do
Dodgers interest in Hader was largely overblown and likely a media creation rather than reality. We will be fine.
Exactly! The media typically connect the Dodgers with high profile, expensive free agents. Their collective supposition then morphs into unfounded “rumors” — that’s what the media does to generate stories.