No one would have blamed Daniel Hudson for throwing in the towel after last season.
Hudson, who turns 37 on Saturday, completed a remarkable comeback one year after a 2022 left knee injury, getting into three games with the Dodgers last summer. He didn't allow a run and struck out five of the 14 batters he faced.
In the third game, however, lightning struck twice. Hudson sprained a ligament in his right knee while delivering a pitch, ending his season.
After nailing down the save by recording three outs with the bases loaded on July 5, 2023, Hudson gave an emotional postgame press conference, knowing his season was likely over.
That wasn't the end of Hudson's story with the Dodgers, however. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Wednesday that Hudson will be in the Dodgers' bullpen when they open the 2024 regular season.
Hudson signed a minor league contract in December with an invitation to spring training. In four Cactus League appearances, he's allowed four hits, two runs, walked three batters and struck out three.
Those numbers aren't eye-popping, but they aren't the only metrics the Dodgers' front office is monitoring. Advanced pitch-tracking models such as Stuff+ rated Hudson higher than Evan Phillips and Walker Buehler prior to his injury. The Dodgers are willing to wait for Hudson to rediscover that form if he hasn't already.
What's more, while other candidates for a bullpen role can be optioned to the minor leagues and recalled freely, the Dodgers' don't want to risk losing Hudson if he chooses to opt out before their March 20 opener against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
For now, Hudson looks poised to make yet another comeback in a career full of them.
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