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David Stearns has made bold moves before and been willing to let go of top players.
Back in 2022, during his last trade deadline while running the Brewers, he traded closer Josh Hader to the Padres in exchange for prospects.
The Brewers, who were in playoff contention at the time, ended up missing the postseason. Some players blamed not just losing their closer — but also the impact Hader’s exit had on the team’s confidence.
After the season, Stearns said the move “had a more pronounced impact than I thought it would at the time.”
