The Pirates have agreed to a two-year, $11MM contract with free agent right-hander Daniel Hudson, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Hudson is a client of Jet Sports.
Hudson, 30 in March, posted an unsightly 5.22 ERA in 60 1/3 innings with the D-backs last season, but all of the damage done against him was confined to one dismal stretch over the summer. Hudson was sporting a 1.55 ERA as deep into the season as June 21, but he was rocked for 26 runs over his next 15 appearances (during which time he had a staggering .625 BABIP). To close out the season, Hudson allowed just four runs in 21 1/3 innings.
The Pirates are clearly banking that the dominant form with which Hudson bookended his 2016 campaign is a true representation of his talent. Since coming back from his second Tommy John surgery, Hudson has averaged about 96 mph on his fastball and looked the part of a potentially dominant late-inning presence.
Daniel Hudson a Buc
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
-
OrlandoMerced
Daniel Hudson a Buc
I wonder what the reasons were for that god awful stretch, dead arm?
Still need one more starter, but Hudson was brought in to occupy a back of the bullpen role. If he could wrest the closer job away from Watson, that could solve a lot of problems. The current bullpen would be:
Watson/Rivera/Hudson/Nicasio/Bastardo/Hughes & LeBlanc.
Still need one more starter, but Hudson was brought in to occupy a back of the bullpen role. If he could wrest the closer job away from Watson, that could solve a lot of problems. The current bullpen would be:
Watson/Rivera/Hudson/Nicasio/Bastardo/Hughes & LeBlanc.
-
BucsFaninGA
Daniel Hudson a Buc
Not a bad sign with the current market for relievers, I think it a worthy acquisition. Still hoping they can sign a bonafide starter who can slot into the Number 3 spot....Fingers crossed on Ivan Nova...Beat'em Bucs 
-
rucker59@gmail.com
Daniel Hudson a Buc
I give Neal the benefit of the doubt with the pen. Let's hope he nailed this.
Daniel Hudson a Buc
I don't mind the signing because he's a cheap risk. He has potential to be a closer and NH has done a good job with the bullpen in past years. (About the only thing NH has excelled at)
Daniel Hudson a Buc
In the current market $11 mil for 2 years is a cheap risk. That said, with the Pirates, every dollar counts and using $5.5 mil on a reliever who may not be productive could greatly diminish the likelihood of the team signing another meaningful starter.
As always, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.
As always, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.
Daniel Hudson a Buc
Upside potential but not without some risk/concerns. Hanrahan and Melancon profiled similarly when acquired by the Bucs. That worked out pretty well. Hope NH goes three for three.
Daniel Hudson a Buc
726F6B697C6473656D060 wrote: I don't mind the signing because he's a cheap risk. He has potential to be a closer and NH has done a good job with the bullpen in past years. (About the only thing NH has excelled at)
Really? Winning 94, 88, and 98 games in successive years doesn't just happen from having a good bullpen. NH did a poor job last year, and thus far, this offseason, I'm unimpressed, Hudson not withstanding, but to say that the only thing NH has excelled at is assembling a bullpen, seems to fall short of reality, IMHO.
Really? Winning 94, 88, and 98 games in successive years doesn't just happen from having a good bullpen. NH did a poor job last year, and thus far, this offseason, I'm unimpressed, Hudson not withstanding, but to say that the only thing NH has excelled at is assembling a bullpen, seems to fall short of reality, IMHO.
Daniel Hudson a Buc
Hudson came in at #19 on Keith Law's top 50 free agents this offseason, one spot ahead of Ivan Nova. I like the signing
Here is the writeup
Daniel Hudson
"HT: 6-3 | WT: 230
Career WAR: 3.6
Hudson came back from two Tommy John surgeries to pitch well in 2015, but his ERA ballooned to 5.22 in 2016 largely because the Diamondbacks were such a bad defensive outfit, both in players and in lack of defensive positioning. His stuff remains intact -- a mid-90s fastball, a plus changeup, an average slider -- and his command is more than good enough for him to be a league-average reliever, with some upside if he's in a better environment. If a team is looking for a closer but doesn't want to pay retail for Kenley Jansen or deal with the character questions of Aroldis Chapman, Hudson's a very appealing alternative who should see immediate improvement just by getting out of the desert.
Slider
Here is the writeup
Daniel Hudson
"HT: 6-3 | WT: 230
Career WAR: 3.6
Hudson came back from two Tommy John surgeries to pitch well in 2015, but his ERA ballooned to 5.22 in 2016 largely because the Diamondbacks were such a bad defensive outfit, both in players and in lack of defensive positioning. His stuff remains intact -- a mid-90s fastball, a plus changeup, an average slider -- and his command is more than good enough for him to be a league-average reliever, with some upside if he's in a better environment. If a team is looking for a closer but doesn't want to pay retail for Kenley Jansen or deal with the character questions of Aroldis Chapman, Hudson's a very appealing alternative who should see immediate improvement just by getting out of the desert.
Slider
Daniel Hudson a Buc
Exactly the type of sign NH would do. Reclamation project. Please let this be the 2010-2011, or 2015 version of Daniel Hudson. I assume he will be bullpen type, not starter. We still need a good one of those. Not a bad sign as long as he is bullpen. I brought him up in November as a possible target.