Craig Counsell Reveals Why Josh Hader Wasn't Available on Wednesday

The Milwaukee Brewers suffered a surprising 4-3 defeat at the hands of the lowly Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Although most people didn't see the 10-inning affair ending in favor of the Cubs, others were shocked that Brewers closer Josh Hader didn't make an appearance.

For anyone worried that Hader might be hurt, Brewers manager Craig Counsell put those rumors to rest after the game. He said that the 28-year-old veteran "lobbied" to come into the game, but the coaching staff made the decision to err on the side of caution and let him rest.

No Hader tonight was a matter of caution, CC said. "He lobbied to pitch but he wasn't all the way there, and where we're at right now, it didn't make sense tonight. We've played 14g in 13 days. We've extended a bunch of guys and we're at a time where we have to exercise caution."
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) June 2, 2022

Josh Hader Brewers News

Counsell made the decision thinking about how the Brewers have played 14 games over the last 13 days, leaving the club at a point "where we have to exercise caution." Hader pitched twice during Monday's doubleheader against the Cubs, so it only made sense to give him a breather last night.

Hader has been the MLB's top closer to begin the 2022 season. He's recorded a save in every single one of his appearances so far, giving him Major League-leading 18 on the campaign.

If that wasn't impressive enough, Hader has yet to give up a run while giving up just four hits and striking out 26 batters over 16.2 innings pitched. Regardless of whether or not he can sustain this level of play, it's looking like a career year for the Millersville, MD native.

At the end of the day, the Brewers have to be careful with Hader. Not only is he key to their success, but his contract is also up at the end of the season. He only has one year remaining of arbitration, meaning the organization must figure out how to lock him down long-term sooner than later.

Brewers World Series Odds

The Brewers need a healthy Hader if they want to win the first championship in franchise history this year. That goal is definitely attainable, proven by FanDuel Sportsbook giving Milwaukee +1100 odds (No. 6) to win the 2022 World Series.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.