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.