The Blue Jays are in agreement with free agent reliever Daniel Hudson on a one-year deal, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reported Sunday. The righty previously inked a minors deal with the Angels in February, but did not make the Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee and was subsequently released on Friday. The Blue Jays have yet to officially confirm the signing.
Hudson, 32, spent his 2018 run with the Dodgers and turned in a 4.11 ERA, 3.5 BB/9, 8.6 SO/9, and career-worst -0.1 fWAR through 46 innings. His underwhelming performance was further hampered by a lingering bout of right forearm soreness, which effectively kept him off of the mound from mid-August through the end of the season and prevented him from joining the team during their pennant-clinching campaign in the postseason.
Per Davidi, Hudson will be added to a bullpen that already features right-handers Joe Biagini and Bud Norris, left-hander Tim Mayza, and closer Ken Giles. They may see right-handed set-up man Ryan Tepera return to the ‘pen relatively soon, too, as he is unlikely to undergo surgery after experiencing a troubling case of elbow inflammation. As a whole, the Blue Jays’ relief corps will look to bounce back from a poor showing in 2018, when they ranked eighth-worst in the league with a collective 4.45 ERA, 4.32 FIP, and 1.6 fWAR.
