Usually once the regular season starts, teams are finished making roster moves until several weeks into the year or around the All-Star break. But that certainly has not been the case for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They completed two trades in the first week of the season, one with the St. Louis Cardinals for infielder Breyvic Valera on Sunday, and then another with the Baltimore Orioles for right-handed pitcher Jesus Liranzo on Monday. The Dodgers did not stop there, however.
According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, they signed veteran right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson to a Minor League contract and are sending him to Camelback Ranch for extended Spring Training:
Daniel Hudson signs minor deal with Dodgers.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) April 2, 2018
Hudson goes to extended spring training.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) April 2, 2018
Hudson is an eight-year veteran who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round in 2002 out of Old Dominion University.
The 31-year-old spent the 2017 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays this past offseason in exchange for Corey Dickerson. The Rays then released Hudson before the start of the regular season, putting him back on the open market.
In eight career seasons, Hudson has made 270 appearances (59 starts), holding a 37-30 record to go along with a 3.98 ERA, 3.67 FIP and 1.27 WHIP.
Last season Hudson made 71 appearances for Pittsburgh, yielding a 4.38 ERA, 4.34 FIP and 1.46 WHIP while striking out 66 and walking 33 in 61.2 innings.
Part of the reason he was released by Tampa Bay was because he had a rough spring, which saw him allow eight hits and nine runs in 5.1 innings (15.19 ERA).
The Dodgers are known to utilize a ton of depth throughout the course of the season though, particularly in the bullpen, and that is exactly what Hudson provides.
