2 San Diego Padres players pricing themselves out of returning in 2024

San Diego Padres pitcher Josh Hader is pricing himself out on returning in 2024

Josh Hader is one of the game's top closers and if Preller decided to move him, he would have got a nice haul back in return despite him being a free agent following the season. He has appeared in 44 games this season and is 26-for-30 in saves chances with a 0.86 ERA in 41.2 innings pitched.

His 26 saves have him ranked ninth this season throughout the league in that category, but he has been one of the Padres MVPs. He had a span last season where he struggled, but other than that, he's been very good for Bob Melvin and is still one of the top closers. He signed a one-year deal for $14.1 million last winter and now has set himself up for a longer and bigger payday this winter. Preller won't be lucky to re-sign him to a team-friendly deal again this upcoming offseason and he will be bidding with several other clubs for Hader's services.

There is no doubt that Snell and Hader are key pieces to San Diego and big parts of what they are trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, it looks like they are not going to accomplish that again in 2023 but, looking ahead to 2024, bringing both back on big deals is tough to envision. It's likely that both players outpricing them out of San Diego for next season and beyond.