Dodgers and Daniel Hudson agree to one-year contract
The Dodgers joined the free-agent frenzy Monday night in the final hours before Major League Baseball’s expected lockout by agreeing with reliever Daniel Hudson on a one-year, $7-million contract, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The deal is pending a physical.
Hudson’s addition comes after the Dodgers lost shortstop Corey Seager to the Texas Rangers and ace Max Scherzer to the New York Mets in free agency on a frenzied Monday throughout the majors as teams rush to sign players before the collective bargaining agreement expires Wednesday at 9 p.m. PST.
Hudson, 34, recorded a 3.31 earned-run average and struck out 13.1 batters per nine innings in 54 appearances for the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres last season. He was traded to San Diego at the trade deadline and struggled as the Padres floundered down the stretch, compiling a 5.21 ERA in 19 innings over 23 games.
It will be the second stint with the Dodgers for Hudson. The former starter had a 4.11 ERA in 40 games for Los Angeles in 2018 before enjoying a breakout season as a reliever with the Toronto Blue Jays and Nationals in 2019.
This time, Hudson joins a Dodgers bullpen in relative flux. Corey Knebel, Joe Kelly, closer Kenley Jansen are free agents. Blake Treinen is seemingly the logical choice to replace Jansen as closer, but Treinen has starred in his role as fireman and setup man in his two seasons with Los Angeles.
Hudson has experience closing games — he was the Nationals’ closer for their 2019 championship run — and could be used for the job if Jansen or another closer isn’t added.
Dodgers World Series MVP Corey Seager agrees to a 10-year, $325-million deal with the Texas Rangers. Will the Rangers also snag Clayton Kershaw?
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