Spring Takeaways From This Weekend’s Games

Daniel Hudson returned to spring training action this weekend. Credit: Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports)

Daniel Hudson First Start in Three Years

Daniel Hudson returned to the Salt River Fields mound for his first spring training action in three years, and he looked strong. He threw two scoreless innings of work in a 10-5 split squad victory over the Giants.

Hudson utilized all of his pitches, allowing an infield single, with one strikeout, and no walks. The strikeout came at the end of the first inning, and painted the outside corner fooling Giants 1B Brandon Belt.

The Diamondbacks are going to give Hudson starts during spring training to see how his arm performs before determining his role for the 2015 season. If Hudson is healthy, he has dominating stuff, and could be apart of the starting rotation in April believe it or not.

Hudson has said on multiple occasions that he would like to be a starter again, but he told the Associated Press after his start on Sunday that he is fine with whatever role the team decides to put him in as long as he is helping the team:

”I’m up for anything at this point. I don’t care if I’m pitching in the fifth inning in a mop-up role or I’m starting a game, as long as I’m out there getting guys out, that’s all I care about,” Hudson said.

Hudson deserves to prove that he can be a quality major league starter again, and there isn’t a guy that I would rather root for more on this team. In 2011, his first full season with Arizona, Hudson made thirty-three  starts across 222.0 innings pitched and went 16-12 with a 3.28 FIP, and a 113 ERA+. The year before that he made 9 starts with a 3.22 FIP after being traded over from the White Sox at the trade deadline.

It will be interesting to see how Hudson fits in with this team, but the open competition certainly helps his chances of making the rotation.