Blue Jays to sign reliever Daniel Hudson to one year deal

According to multiple reports, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed free agent reliever Daniel Hudson to a one year, major league deal.

The Blue Jays have signed reliever Daniel Hudson who spent the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers posting a 4.11 earned run average (ERA) in 46 innings over 40 games out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. His signing comes two days after he was released by the Angels of Anaheim who he pitched during this year’s Spring Training, allowing five earned runs and three home runs in 6.2 innings.

The 32 year old right-handed reliever sports a career 3.99 ERA in 310 appearances during his nine year major league career. His best season as a reliever came in 2015 when he pitched to a 3.86 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 67.2 innings with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The veteran right-hander started his career as a starter back in 2009. He has made a total of 60 starts in his career, 33 of them in 2011, when he won 16 games and finished the season with an ERA of 3.49 in 222 innings pitched.

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Hudson throws a fastball which he used 53% of the time and averaged 95.3 mph in 2018. His main putaway pitch is his slider which he threw 41% of the time and had a whiff rate of 33%. He also has the changeup and sinker which are only thrown for about 5% of his pitches.

With the signing of Hudson, the Blue Jays add bullpen depth after Ryan Tepera and Bud Norris were sidelined in the past days due to arm issues. Ryan Borucki has also had some soreness in his elbow as well, further affecting the pitching staff. The Blue Jays also released Canadian reliever John Axford after he suffered a stress reaction in his right elbow. Like Norris, Axford was on a MiLB contract, and it’s possible things could be revisited later in the if and when he gets healthy again.

The team was told Tepera does not need elbow surgery and will resume throwing on Tuesday while Norris’ forearm discomfort was not considered “concerning”. Manager Charlie Montoyo expects Norris to start the season with the team and is scheduled to pitch in today’s final Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers.