Hader, Woodruff avoid arbitration with Crew

One year after taking relief ace Josh Hader to arbitration, a process that did not sit well with either side, the Brewers avoided the process with their star reliever.

Milwaukee announced that it avoided arbitration with both Hader and right-hander Brandon Woodruff on Friday, signing each to a one-year contract for the upcoming season. Hader will earn $6.675 million, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. Woodruff is set to earn a base salary of $3.275 million, according to multiple reports.

Hader's deal comes after he and the Brewers went to an arbitration hearing last February, when a three-person panel ultimately ruled in favor of the team. The lefty relief ace was seeking $6.4 million, while the Brewers proposed $4.1 million, which was his 2020 salary prior to proration.

Last season, Hader got off to a historic start, setting an all-time record for consecutive hitless appearances (12) to begin a season. He ended with 31 strikeouts against 10 walks in 19 innings, picking up 13 saves along the way.

Hader posted a 3.79 ERA, though it was bloated due to four of his eight earned runs coming in one outing (Sept. 12 vs. the Cubs). In four seasons with Milwaukee, the left-hander has logged a 2.54 ERA with 62 saves and 15.3 strikeouts per nine innings across 172 outings as a high-leverage weapon and closer.

Woodruff, meanwhile, was eligible for arbitration this offseason as a Super Two candidate (like Hader a year ago). The right-hander is expected to team with Corbin Burnes to give Milwaukee a formidable one-two punch atop its rotation for the '21 campaign.

Coming off an All-Star showing in 2019, Woodruff fashioned a 3.05 ERA with 91 strikeouts against 18 walks in 73 2/3 innings (13 starts) last season. The righty finished especially strong, posting a 1.63 ERA with 36 strikeouts and three walks in 27 2/3 innings in his final four turns.

Woodruff's 24.9 percent strikeout-minus-walk percentage ranked ninth in the Majors among qualified MLB starters. He ranked seventh in MLB in innings pitched and ended with 2.1 WAR (per Fangraphs) -- close behind Burnes (2.4)