The Dodgers and right-hander Daniel Hudson have agreed to reunite on a minor league deal, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The righty will earn $2MM if he cracks the roster, with another $2MM available via incentives.
Hudson, 37 in March, is coming off a mostly lost season in 2023. After tearing the ACL in his left knee in June of 2022, he was rehabbing over the winter but also developed some ankle tendinitis as well as patellar tendinitis in the knee. He started the season on the injured list and wasn’t activated until late June. After just three appearances, he suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee and landed back on the IL. He wasn’t able to return and then said in October that he was undecided about whether he would return for another year or hang up his cleats.
It seems he has now decided to give it another go and has returned to the Dodgers, with whom he signed going into 2022. Prior to the injury woes, he was utterly dominant. He tossed 24 1/3 innings that year with a 2.22 earned run average, 30.9% strikeout rate, 5.2% walk rate and 53.4% ground ball rate. He was so impressive that the Dodgers extended him into 2023 after his torn ACL.
That obviously didn’t pan out but it’s understandable why they would still be interested in him. In this case, they haven’t even guaranteed him a roster spot or his salary, giving them a chance to walk away if his health is an issue again in the spring. But if he’s back in form, it would be a nice low-cost boost to the bullpen. He has a 3.79 ERA in his career, having thrown almost 800 innings dating back to his 2009 debut.
The Dodgers have generally shown a willingness to give deals to injured players they like, often with incentives that allow the player greater potential earning power while keeping the club uncommitted. Alex Reyes, Blake Treinen and Jimmy Nelson are some players that have signed such deals in recent years and now Hudson will be in the mix on a similar pact for 2024.
I wonder if he turned down a Major League from the Giants, to sign this.
Probably. It’s like would you rather date a really hot chick that works at McDonalds or a so-so looking chick that’s has her own career?
I know I’d go with the McDonalds chick, good times. Championship vibes.
Totally valid, especially when dating the Hot Chick might only last a year if she works at McDonalds, but if Daniel does well, he might find a longer term deal with the same hot chick, but she also helps bring home the bacon more too.
Who needs a hot chick with more bacon, when you are making the SAME money as the guy who is currently best in baseball at $2M a season
Mmmmmm…. McDonald’s with bacon
Right, a team who won three championships this century versus the team that won one during an abbreviated season. Who is the hot chick in your analogy?
Because what happened in 2014 has any bearing on 2024.
He’ll be worth just as much as Shohei Ohtani!
minor league deal? im confused
why?
Oh sure. Deferring the $2 million until he makes the roster. And deferring another $2 million until he reaches incentives. More tax dodges.
This guy loves taxes
Yawn. Again, Dodgers are not the villains. They used the rules to their advantage… angry… change the rules.
Theyre villains, stop crowing about technicalities.
dude, do some reading. The Giants (and I would assume everyone else who was in on him) were going to do the same thing when it comes to the deferrals. Hell, they reported SF’s offer was near ‘identical”
All I read was “whaaaaaaa”. Where does it say anything about deferred wages?
Wow there’s a lot of dumb people here.
Can confirm.
@baseballpun lmao
Good low risk signing. When “healthy” he’s very good.
Dodgers dealing
Very strange. Hudson has been solid in 2022. I know he’s hurt, but I still don’t get why it’s a minor league deal.
No room on the 40 man roster.
Because he’s had two knee surgeries since then.
I’m sure there is some loyalty too. Dodgers paid Hudson $6mm in 2022 and he barely pitched only 24+innings. Then they picked up the club option for 2023 for $6.5 million and he pitched only 3 innings. If it were me I’d feel pretty bad and would also want to give the team a loyalty discount.
SALARY CAP NOW
Salary cap is not good for players. You rather millionaire owners have more control?
Low risk, high reward.
The Dodgers absolutely LOVE injured pitchers!
They misunderstood the term “break a leg“ being good luck
Jeez so Hudson could make more money this season than Ohtani…
FTD!
Doyers are signing every player available!
I heard they’re interested in signing wild thing from major league. Now they’re going after fictional baseball players!!
Just sarcasm, but gee, Hudson is making the same salary as Ohtani – 2 M per season. He must feel great knowing he is on Ohtani’s level. lol I wonder if the Dodgers approached him and asked if he wants to defer 1.5M of that until 2045. lol
They just love those injured relief pitchers, such as Hudson, the perpetually hurt Blake Treinen, the mostly hurt Joe Kelly, etc.
They’ll need some to help Ohtani adjust to his second Tommy John that is sure to come.
Hudson fills the bill.
Pretty sure Hudson could have signed elsewhere, but Dodgers are going hard for a championship and he’s probably going to be effective again after healing from his injury. This will be a win for both, Hudson is getting paid 2 million coming off an injury year, that’s not nothing.
and the end of the season, Hudson told the Dodgers (after mostly stealing money all season because injured) he might retire but if he didn’t he’d love to come back. It was pretty much the Dodgers or retirement. Had nothing to do with other clubs and him choosing the Dodgers.
I am fine with this. A minor league deal where he has to EARN the 2 million is better than what we had been doing. Same with giving Treinen only 1 million…..
Last season Blake made 8 million, Daniel over 6, Jimmy a cool million and others (Alex Reyes and J.P. Feyereisen) who either barely pitched or didn’t at all for the whole year…also Walker got millions while recovering…
This season they already have to give 6-7 million to Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, neither of which may pitch a game until 2025….
And then they have Clayton on the shelf for half a season and they are wanting to trade for Glasnow, who hasnt topped 125 innings in a season for his ENTIRE CAREER (hell, last season his 121 IP was a career-best and ONLY time he has passed 100 innings)….
Can we get some healthy arms please???
Is it against the CBA to sign a guy to a future contract, such that the guy can play for another team a year or 2, but the guy has to play for the signing team later on? Ex: Instead of Corey Seager signing for 10/325, he signs for 9/300, but he gets to start in 2023 and gets to play for another team on a 1 year deal at most in 2022.
A healthy pitcher offers his services to the Dodgers, they laugh him off and say “Give me your tired, your weak, your tommy john survivors”.