The Pirates strengthened their bullpen Monday by signing free agent right-hander Daniel Hudson _ a power arm with two Tommy John surgeries in his past _ to a two-year contract worth $11 million, according to a source, plus $1.5 million in annual incentives for games finished.
The Pirates have not yet announced the move, which is pending a physical. They will need to make a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster for Hudson.
"I'm excited and grateful for this new opportunity with the pirates," Hudson wrote on Twitter. "Let's do this Pittsburgh!! Raise it!"
Hudson, who will turn 30 in March, had a 3.88 ERA in 190 games over six seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He had an ugly 5.22 ERA in 2016, but his numbers were sullied by a midsummer stretch during which he allowed 26 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings. Otherwise, if one is willing to set aside that midseason implosion, Hudson had a 1.60 ERA in 50 2/3 innings.
Last season, Hudson's fastball averaged 96.1 mph, according to Fangraphs, and he also employs a slider and a changeup. Hudson averaged 8.65 strikeouts per nine innings in 2016. His ground-ball rate, at 40.9 percent in 2016, has trended downward over the past three years.
Hudson likely will fill the late-inning right-hander role previously occupied by free agent Neftali Feliz. Should the Pirates decide to trade closer Tony Watson and his expiring contract later this offseason, Hudson or left-hander Felipe Rivero could be shifted into the closer spot.
Drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago White Sox in 2008, Hudson, then a starting pitcher, swiftly scaled the minor-league ladder. He started 2009 at Class A Kannapolis and by September had ascended to the majors and scored his first win. A trade sent Hudson to Arizona during the 2010 season, and he gave the Diamondbacks a 1.69 ERA in 11 starts.
Hudson looked like a workhorse when he posted a 3.49 ERA over 222 innings in 2011, but he was shut down with arm trouble after nine starts the next season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2012, and then again in June 2013 after he re-tore his ulnar collateral ligament.
Hudson was a main character in "The Arm: Inside The Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports," a book written by Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan, who broke the news Monday of Hudson signing with the Pirates. Passan followed Hudson over three years, from his first Tommy John surgery to his return to the majors in 2015.
In the book, Hudson told Passan about an email he received during spring training in 2012. It was from then-Diamondbacks assistant general manager Billy Ryan and included the details of a $15 million contract offer. Hudson rejected the offer. The elbow problems started shortly thereafter.
The Pirates' offer, incentives included, equals $14 million. To Hudson, that sounded just fine.
