Meet the durable, anytime bullpen ace. He is not the closer, yet he can be, at times. He is not the setup man, but he can fill that role, too. When a team is winning, and needs to preserve that lead in a pivotal moment, it calls the bullpen ace.
For the Milwaukee Brewers, that pitcher is Josh Hader, a string bean lefty with long hair, glasses, tattoos and a funny uniform number. Hader slings fastballs and sliders at menacing angles and has absurdly dominated hitters this season.
Entering Friday, Hader had pitched in seven games, all Brewers victories, all for at least five batters.