Brewers Acquire Bryan Hudson From Dodgers
12:20pm: The Dodgers have announced the deal, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, with the Brewers sending lefty Justin Chambers and a player to be named later in return. Chambers is just 18 years old, having been selected in the 20th round of the 2023 draft. He didn’t make an appearance in affiliated ball after that draft selection.
12:05pm: The Brewers are acquiring left-hander Bryan Hudson from the Dodgers, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. The lefty was designated for assignment two weeks ago. DFA limbo is normally capped at one week but that clock is paused for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s unclear what the Dodgers are receiving in exchange. Milwaukee’s 40-man roster count is up to 39.
Hudson, 27 in May, made his major league debut last year with 8 2/3 innings for the Dodgers. He allowed seven earned runs in that time, leading to an unsightly 7.27 ERA, though that’s obviously a miniscule sample size. He spent most of the season in Triple-A, tossing 55 2/3 innings with 2.43 ERA. He struck out 35.7% of batters faced while giving out walks at a 10.8% clip and keeping 46.7% of balls in play on the ground.
Grounders have consistently been a part of his game, going all the way back to his Rookie ball days. Those strikeouts are a fairly new development, however, having shot up in the past two years. He also struck out 29.7% of batters faced in 2022, splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A while in the Cubs organization.
The ability to both strike hitters out and keep the ball on the ground when they do make contact is enticing and appears to have caught the attention of the Brewers. Hudson still has a couple of option years remaining, so he can serve as a depth piece for the bullpen in Milwaukee. Their southpaw relief corps is currently headlined by Hoby Milner, with Ethan Small and Clayton Andrews also on the roster, though Hudson will now jump into that group as well.
Dodgers Designate Bryan Hudson For Assignment
The Dodgers announced that left-hander Bryan Hudson has been designated for assignment. The move opens up roster space for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whose 12-year, $325MM deal with Los Angeles was made official this afternoon.
Hudson made his Major League debut this season, appearing in six games for L.A. and posting a 7.27 ERA over 8 2/3 innings of relief work. It was a big milestone in Hudson’s eight-year pro career, which began when he was a third-round pick for the Cubs in the 2015 draft. The 6’8″ Hudson pitched in Chicago’s organization until last winter, when he joined the Dodgers on a minor league contract.
The 26-year-old is a grounder specialist, regularly posting groundball rates north of 50% during his time in the minors. However, Hudson’s groundball rates have dropped to around 46.5% at the Triple-A level over the last two seasons, as he has added a lot more strikeout ability to his arsenal. After posting mostly uninspiring strikeout totals for much of his career, Hudson jumped to a 28.4% strikeout rate with Chicago’s Triple-A club in 2022, and then an even more impressive 35.7K% in 55 2/3 frame with Triple-A Oklahoma City last season.
While his 10.92% career walk rate indicates some wildness in Hudson’s game, his ability to rather drastically increase his ability to miss bats is a positive development, particularly since he is still able to generate grounders at an above-average rate. This skillset isn’t unlikely to go unnoticed on the waiver wire, so there’s a decent chance a bullpen-needy makes a claim on Hudson while he is in DFA limbo.
Tony Gonsolin Placed On IL With Elbow Injury, Unlikely To Return This Year
The Dodgers announced that they have placed right-hander Tony Gonsolin on the 15-day injured list with right forearm inflammation, recalling left-hander Bryan Hudson in the corresponding move. Right-hander Ryan Pepiot is up as the club’s “27th man” for today’s double-header. Manager Dave Roberts says that it’s unlikely Gonsolin will return this season, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
The move to the IL doesn’t come as a total shock, as that seemed to be the plan after yesterday’s game, as Ardaya laid out. But the exact nature of Gonsolin’s injury wasn’t exactly clear. His velocity is clearly down, with his fastball averaging 92.4 mph this year, the lowest of his career. The results have also been poor, with his 4.98 earned run average more than double last year’s 2.14 mark. But the club didn’t provided any specific diagnosis, only saying that the issue is related to his elbow. Now he’s not only going on the injured list but it seems his season is likely to be done.
More information on the injury will likely be forthcoming, but it seems like 2023 is destined to go down as a disappointing follow-up to his 2022 breakout. Last year, he threw 130 1/3 innings over 24 starts. As mentioned, he allowed just 2.14 earned runs per nine innings, striking out 23.9% of opponents while walking just 7% and keeping the ball on the ground at a 43.1% clip.
Here in 2023, he began the season on the injured list thanks to a sprained ankle, getting activated in late April. In addition to his ERA jumping to 4.98, all of his rate stats have gone in the wrong direction. He’s striking out just 18.9% of batters faced while issuing walks at a 9.2% clip and getting grounders on 36% of balls in play. The club seemingly tried to get him to pitch through this ailment but last night’s start appears to have been a proverbial coffin nail, with Gonsolin allowing 10 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Marlins.
Regardless of the specifics, this is the latest in a series of injuries to the Dodger rotation this year. Dustin May was able to make nine starts this year before requiring flexor tendon surgery that will keep him out until next summer. Michael Grove is currently on the injured list due to lat tightness. Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías each spent time on the IL earlier this year, but both are back now.
Kershaw and Urías are joined in the rotation by rookie Bobby Miller and deadline acquisition Lance Lynn. The departure of Gonsolin will require the club to find a fifth starter at some point. Pepiot, who himself missed the first few months of the season due to an oblique strain, seems to be the likeliest option. Roberts told reporters, including Ardaya, that Pepiot could stick around after joining the club today for their hurricane-induced double-header. Ryan Yarbrough and Gavin Stone are also possibilities.
The Dodgers are still in excellent shape for the year, currently sporting a record of 74-47. That’s the second-best mark in the National League and gives them a lead of 10.5 games in the West. But they were hoping to have more rotation depth than this for the playoffs. In addition to getting Lynn at the deadline, they also lined up a deal to get Eduardo Rodriguez from the Tigers, though he blocked that trade via his no-trade clause. The loss of Gonsolin will further thin out an area that the Dodgers were hoping to bolster as recently as three weeks ago.
One big reinforcement could still be coming in the form of Walker Buehler, who underwent Tommy John surgery last year but is still hoping to return as a starter this year. Time will tell whether that’s realistic or not, but the Dodgers will move forward for now with Pepiot seemingly stepping into the mix. He posted a 3.47 ERA in 36 1/3 innings last year, his debut season. However, he had a 16.9% walk rate in that time and was likely helped out by a .244 batting average on balls in play and 86.1% strand rate. After missing the start of this year with that oblique issue, he’s since made six Triple-A starts with a 3.97 ERA.
Dodgers Place Michael Grove On 15-Day Injured List
The Dodgers placed right-hander Michael Grove on the 15-day injured list today, as Grove is suffering from right lat tightness. Left-hander Bryan Hudson was called up from Triple-A to take Grove’s spot on the active roster, and manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com and other reporters that Grove should miss only the minimum 15 days.
Grove missed about six weeks earlier this season due to a groin strain, and he has been up and down from Triple-A a few times this season. Working mostly as a traditional starter but also getting some work as a reliever and as a bulk pitcher, Grove has tossed 64 innings over 15 appearances this season, helping out a Dodgers team that has been hit hard by pitching injuries. Unfortunately for Grove and the Dodgers, his results haven’t been great, as he has a 6.61 ERA and has allowed a lot of hard contact.
The ERA doesn’t tell the whole story, as Grove’s 3.96 SIERA indicates some bad luck for the 26-year-old. Grove’s 6.3% walk rate is well above league average and his 23.5% strikeout rate is around mid-range. While batters are getting good wood on Grove’s offerings, he is also seeing an unusual amount of those balls in play fall for hits, as Grove has a hefty .378 BABIP.
Grove becomes the 11th pitcher on Los Angeles’ current injured list, with various hurlers still sidelined by both short-term or longer-term or season-ending injuries. Despite pitching depth being a problem for much of the season, the Dodgers are still atop the NL West, holding a three-game lead on the Giants entering Sunday’s play. Lance Lynn was acquired at the trade deadline to provide some rotation help, while Clayton Kershaw is expected to return from his own IL stint at some point this week. Roberts also said that Shelby Miller (on the 60-day IL) has recovered from a nerve issue and has started a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League, with hopes of returning to the Dodgers before the season is over.
Dodgers Option Miguel Vargas To Triple-A
The Dodgers announced that infielder Miguel Vargas has been optioned to Triple-A. Southpaw Bryan Hudson was also optioned, while righty Yency Almonte was reinstated from the paternity list. This leaves Los Angeles with an open spot on its active roster, though Chris Taylor is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list after the All-Star break.
There isn’t much surprise to Vargas’ demotion, as manager Dave Roberts hinted yesterday that a move back to Triple-A might be in the cards for the rookie. A consensus top-50 prospect in baseball, Vargas was one of several youngsters the Dodgers were counting on to fill roster holes, as the team went into 2023 with a mix of proven star veterans and promising minor leaguers. Stepping in as the regular second baseman, Vargas got off to a solid start that wasn’t entirely reflected by his bottom-line numbers, as he was getting plenty of walks and making lots of hard contact without much batted-ball luck to show for it.
However, Vargas’ production has cratered over the last month. Over his last 78 plate appearances, Vargas has hit only .079/.221/.175, with just five hits total. The slump simply became too deep for the Dodgers to ignore, and the 23-year-old will now get at least a brief stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City to try and get himself back on track.
It seems likely that Vargas will be back in the majors at some point this season, though that could depend on how the Dodgers approach the trade deadline. Shortstop and second base are both big target areas, as while Mookie Betts has continued to post MVP-caliber numbers while filling in at both middle infield spots, L.A. probably prefers to see Betts back in his customary right field spot. The versatile Taylor can factor into either middle infield position, but he is struggling through his second consecutive year of underwhelming offensive production.
Dodgers Designate Andre Jackson For Assignment
The Dodgers announced they’ve designated right-hander Andre Jackson for assignment. His 40-man roster spot will go to righty Ryan Brasier, whose promotion was reported earlier. Left-hander Bryan Hudson was optioned to open a spot for Brasier on the active roster.
Jackson has spent his entire career in the L.A. organization. Originally selected in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, he made it onto the 40-man roster after the 2020 campaign. Jackson debuted the following summer and has bounced on and off the active roster for the past three seasons.
He’s worked in multi-inning relief at the big league level, tossing 39 frames over 14 outings. A personal-high 17 2/3 of those innings have come this season. Jackson has allowed 13 runs in that limited look, thanks largely to five homers. The longball has largely overshadowed a quality 16:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
A starter for the bulk of his minor league tenure, Jackson has also worked in long relief in Triple-A this season. He’s logged 27 2/3 innings across 11 outings, pitching to a 5.86 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has a quality 25.8% strikeout rate at the top minor league level, but he’s walked over 14% of batters faced there. Strike-throwing has been the question throughout his career, as Jackson has handed out free passes at a 12.7% clip over five minor league seasons.
The 6’3″ righty clearly has intriguing raw stuff, though. He’s punched out over a quarter of opponents in the minors. His fastball sat north of 95 MPH on average during his MLB time this season, while prospect evaluators have long praised his changeup. He seems likely to draw some interest via minor trade or on the waiver wire within the next week. Jackson is in his final minor league option season, so an acquiring team could keep him in Triple-A for the remainder of the year.
Dodgers Select Bryan Hudson
Ahead of tonight’s game against the Giants, the Dodgers have selected the contract of left-hander Bryan Hudson. In a corresponding move, right-hander Tayler Scott was designated for assignment, per a team announcement.
Hudson, 26, was a third round pick by the Cubs in the 2015 draft. Used as a starter early in his professional career, Hudson struggled badly, posting a 4.51 ERA in 325 1/3 innings of work spread across the Low-A, Single-A, and High-A levels from 2016-19. After not pitching in 2020 due to the cancelled minor league season, Hudson returned in 2021 having converted to the bullpen, and saw his results improve. The lefty posted a 3.13 ERA in 54 2/3 innings of work at the Double-A level in 2021 with a 23.3% strikeout rate and a phenomenal 65% groundball rate, though his 10% walk rate left something to be desired. In 2022, Hudson posted similar numbers, with a 3.66 ERA in 59 innings split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
After the 2022 campaign, Hudson departed the Cubs organization through minor league free agency before signing a minor league deal with the Dodgers in December. Since signing on in LA, Hudson has pitched to a sterling 2.17 ERA in 29 innings at Triple-A. While his groundball rate has plummeted to just 27.8%, Hudson is striking out batters at an absurd 41.1% clip, leaving plenty of reason for optimism that the southpaw could help bolster a Dodgers bullpen that sports an NL-worst 4.90 ERA.
Making room for Hudson is Scott, who allowed six runs on six hits, a hit batsman, six walks, and eight strikeouts over six appearances during his time in Dodger blue. Prior to Scott’s call-up, the righty had posted impressive marks of his own at Triple-A, including a 1.37 ERA in 19 2/3 innings of work. The Dodgers now figure to attempt to trade Scott or pass him through waivers. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, LA can assign him outright to the minors, though Scott has been outrighted previously in his career, meaning he could reject that assignment and elect free agency if he so chose.