On the MLB free-agency landscape, Josh Hader still looms as the best option in the relief-pitcher category. And while the fireballer has drawn interest from the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers, Hader won't come cheaply.

In fact, Hader wants to make sure no other relief pitcher in baseball is compensated better. As a result, he is aiming for a contract richer than the one the New York Mets inked Edwin Diaz to last season, a five-year, $102 million deal, according to CBS Sports HQ's Jim Bowden.

One problem with that comp is that Diaz just missed the entire 2023 season. While the reliever was hurt celebrating a win in the World Baseball Classic with his teammates from Puerto Rico and not pitching, it's a reminder that relief pitchers are often volatile commodities.

Josh Hader an outlier? 

Hader would need to remain elite for several seasons to justify such a contract, a feat not many pitchers coming out of the bullpen have been able to pull off in baseball history.

Josh Hader is expected to make history with his next contract

In fact, even the teams in pursuit of Hader are apparently more interested in strengthening their pitching staff by adding starting-caliber hurlers. The Yankees, for instance, are hopeful to bring back lefty starter Jordan Montgomery. Montgomery is the priority, with Hader a more likely option due to a pivot in strategy if Montgomery signs elsewhere.

Which team needs Josh Hader the most? The Yankees had MLB's best bullpen ERA last season, while the Dodgers ranked third in that category.

The Rangers were 24th, but they also won the World Series, so it's tough to predict who is going to break the bank for Hader at this point of the offseason.