Yankees should explore this non-Max Scherzer offseason trade with Nationals

The Yankees should see if Nationals reliever Daniel Hudson is available.

Here we are. The MLB Winter Meetings. The possibilities are endless as long as you have good scheduled Zoom chats. This will not be the annual event we are all accustomed to where players, agents and executives are in the same hotel and city looking to put pen to paper and make transactions.

But we should expect some movement because it is a scheduled event and we’re sure diligent parties out there have planned some discussions in regards to free agents and trades. You can bet the New York Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman are ready to go.

Assuming bullpen acquisitions are still at the forefront of the Yankees’ offseason plan and that the Nationals are perhaps keen on shedding some payroll in order to institute a mini re-tool, Cashman should call up Washington GM Mike Rizzo and check in on the availability of Daniel Hudson.

We know, big surprise, since we’ve been advocating for Max Scherzer for the last year.

Hudson signed a two-year contract with the Nats shortly after their World Series win and he’s set to earn $6 million in 2021. He earned that deal after a career year in 2019, which he spent with the Blue Jays and Nationals, but 2020 saw him regress back to his usual self, despite the fact it was a shortened campaign.

Even with that astonishing ’19, the right-hander still owns a rather unsightly 4.20 ERA and 1.31 WHIP for his career as a reliever (in 339 games). But he does possess potential as a deemphasized piece in a stacked Yankees bullpen despite being 33 years old.

Hudson’s got a solid 3.82 FIP for his career and now sports four pitches: a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup and curveball, which he re-introduced in 2020 after not having thrown it since his days as a starter. With the Yankees losing two right-handers in Tommy Kahnle and Jonathan Holder, adding Hudson to pitch behind Chad Green, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman could see the veteran maximize his potential.

And what do you know! The Yankees expressed interest in Hudson prior to the 2019 season, so there was something that intrigued Cashman. Why not see if the Nationals are willing to sell a bit low here after his poor 2020 (6.10 ERA in 21 games)? Washington was largely a mess after losing so many key guys to free agency and injuries, so we can’t pin that inefficiency on Hudson alone.

Perhaps trading 25-year-old Albert Abreu could get a deal done? The Nationals work wonders with their pitchers for the most part and the Yankees haven’t really found any usage for Abreu and his fastball. He’d have years of club control, and at worst would be a middle relief option for the Nats.

The Nats could also use some help in right field. Perhaps Estevan Florial could be an option? The asking price for Hudson can’t be too high, given his 2020 performance and his 2021 salary. Plus, he’ll only be a rental.

But if the Yankees want to go for it all next season, they need more length in the bullpen, and Hudson has the experience and pedigree to be a worthwhile addition.

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