Jack Moore examines the unusual role Josh Hader plays in the Milwaukee bullpen. Hader pitched 25 innings in 15 relief appearances with 50 strikeouts and just six walks:

But Hader has had control problems as a starter. It’s much harder to deal with the runners he puts on base when he can’t reach back and dial up a high-90s fastball on command, something he can do as a reliever but would be unfeasible on a regular basis if he needs to last 100 or even 80 pitches. He has, however, shown the endurance to be as nasty as he is on pitch 10 on pitch 30 or 40, and that means Hader can get through the lineup one time if absolutely necessary, as he showed in that amazing eight-strikeout save against the Reds.

It’s entirely possible this may be the most valuable role Hader can fill with his specific set of skills, and if Hader maintains anything close to this level of performance for the rest of the year, it’ll be awfully hard to convince me it’s a good idea to risk losing such a talented reliever to a switch to the rotation.

He’s a throwback to the 1970s, when a closer might enter the game as early as the seventh inning and go the rest of the way.