One had to know that the San Diego Padres would not sit still. After the Dodgers dropped a bombshell by acquiring Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, general manager A.J. Preller would do something. Late Thursday night, he made his move, albeit with a smaller trade than what could have been imagined.
The Padres added Daniel Hudson from the Nationals as they look to improve their bullpen depth. In exchange, San Diego is sending pitching prospect Mason Thompson and minor league shortstop Jordy Barley back to Washington.
Mason Thompson would head to the Nats in the Daniel Hudson deal, according to a source.
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) July 30, 2021
Daniel Hudson gives San Diego Padres more options in bullpen
Hudson has typically been a solid reliever, but he has been better than usual this year. He has posted a 2.20 ERA and a 0.918 WHiP in his 32.2 innings, striking out 48 batters with seven walks. Although he does not have a save this year, Hudson does have experience as a closer, potentially serving as an option for the ninth inning if Mark Melancon needs a day off.
However, they gave up a significant piece in Thompson. He had a somewhat uneven minor league career due to Tommy John surgery and other injury issues, but the stuff is there to be a power reliever. He has a fastball that sits in the upper 90s in shorter stints and a plus slider, both of which could be a weapon. Thompson had been a starter in the minors, and possesses a four pitch mix, but his injury issues, questionable command, and two plus offerings seem to have him ticketed for the bullpen.
Barley is the type of prospect that can drive scouts insane. He has times where he looks like a top five prospect. Then he has times when he looks completely lost on the diamond. The raw tools are there, as he has impressive raw power and the range to make spectacular plays at short. But he has a lot of issues making consistent contact, and loses focus on the more routine plays. Barley’s development is likely more tied into the mental aspects more so than the physical ones.
This is a move that the Padres had to make. They had already nabbed Adam Frazier to shore up the infield, but after watching the Dodgers drop a bombshell of their own, they needed to do something. While Hudson is not an attention grabber, he makes the Padres better.
The San Diego Padres have improved their bullpen by trading for Daniel Hudson. Even though it was a steep price to pay, he is worth it.