The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson and optioned Walker Buehler to High-A Rancho Cucamonga as a corresponding move.
Buehler is not expected to be away from the team for long, however, as he will likely be called back up as the 26th man to start one of the games during Saturday’s doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
In his first career Major League start on Monday night, Buehler tossed five shutout innings against the Miami Marlins, striking out five. He made quite the impression on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and teammate Kiké Hernandez.
The Dodgers signed Hudson to a Minor League contract at the beginning of the season and he has been with Triple-A Oklahoma City after a short time at extended Spring Training.
In five games with Oklahoma City, Hudson has tossed 4.2 hitless innings, although he has walked four while striking out five.
The 31-year-old is an eight-year veteran who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2002 Draft out of Old Dominion University. In 270 career big league appearances (59 starts), Hudson holds a 37-30 record to go along with a 3.98 ERA, 3.67 FIP and 1.27 WHIP.
He appeared in 71 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017, yielding a 4.38 ERA, 4.34 FIP and 1.46 WHIP while recording 66 strikeouts and walking 33 in 61.2 innings. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays this past offseason and was then released after a rough spring.
With Wilmer Font recently being designated for assignment, Hudson takes his spot on the Dodgers 40-man roster, which again is full.
