Dodgers News: Ace Reliever Thrilled to Welcome Back Veteran Bullpen Arm

Huddy is back!

After a lengthy recovery process, Daniel Hudson has overcome one of the most devastating injuries in sports, an ACL tear, and now has three clean innings under his belt for the Dodgers, albeit they weren't all easy.

The veteran entered to lock down the save last night against the Pirates and loaded the bases with none out. But he battled back and escaped damage to pick up his first save in more than a year.

It was admittedly emotional for the guy they call "Huddy." After a long battle, he came back from that knee surgery and is now quickly proving to be an asset for this relatively young bullpen.

Evan Phillips, the Dodgers star reliever who boasts just a 2.57 ERA and 12 saves this season, said Hudson would be a "super important" part of the Dodgers' quest to reach the postseason.

"We expect him to be Daniel Hudson, and I think he fully expects to be an impactful part of our bullpen," Phillips said recently. "Adding a piece like him in any sort of role is going to help us win games."

The Dodger bullpen has been in desperate need of reliable relievers, sporting the seventh-highest team bullpen ERA in baseball. The return of an experienced and skilled veteran will bring a sense of stability back to the bullpen.

"In years past, when we had Huddy and guys like him, there was a calming presence in the bullpen of, 'Hey, we're gonna have this under control," Phillips said. "They kind of set the model for the younger guys."

(Via the

Los Angeles Times

)

In 25 games last season, Hudson held a 2.22 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP and an impressive strikeouts to walk ratio of 6. The Dodgers also had the second-best team bullpen ERA, only behind the Houston Astros who would go on to win the World Series.

"Having a stable piece like Huddy come in and be that reassuring factor, where we feel like we can rely on him in any situation, will help line up other guys in their most advantageous spots," Phillips said.

As the All-Star break approaches, look for not only a strong performance from Hudson, but also some improvements in relievers who have struggled this season. Maybe Hudson's presence really is that impactful.