Former Brewers breakout pitcher left searching for new opportunity after recent DFA

Back in January of 2024, the Milwaukee Brewers executed a seemingly inconsequential trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, as Brewers fans have come to learn, no trade should be overlooked, as it could end up being the next diamond that Matt Arnold finds in the rough. This January trade, in which the Brewers sent 20th-round draft pick Justin Chambers to the Dodgers in exchange for left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson, was just that...until it wasn't.

Hudson, a 6'8" lefty who the Chicago Cubs drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 MLB Draft, debuted with the Dodgers in 2023, posting a 7.27 ERA in just 8.2 innings pitched before Arnold and company added him to the Brewers' organization. Somewhat surprisingly, Hudson was included on Milwaukee's 2024 Opening Day roster, and made his Brewers debut against the New York Mets during the team's third game of the season. In front of an aggravated Mets crowd that had watched their team drop the first two games of the season, Hudson shut down New York's lineup in his debut, tossing three scoreless innings and striking out four opposing hitters in the process.

That inaugural appearance in a Brewers uniform kick-started a run of incredible success for the towering southpaw, and on May 27, after a scoreless two-inning appearance against the Cubs, Hudson boasted a stellar 0.59 ERA. That success continued through the month of June, and when the All-Star conversation began, Hudson, who was seemingly a minor offseason acquisition for the Crew, surprisingly found his name included in it.

Hudson didn't end up making the All-Star Game, despite having a strong argument for being included, and what followed was an odd second-half for the rookie reliever. Approaching an inning count that he hadn't seen since the 2018 season, and with the added issue of a late-July oblique strain, the Brewers slowed down Hudson's usage. In early September, despite Hudson holding a 1.73 ERA, the Brewers optioned him to Triple-A, where he remained for the rest of the season.

In 2025, Hudson wasn't the same pitcher. He started the year with seven consecutive scoreless appearances, but soon after, his effectiveness fell off a cliff. He bounced back and forth between MLB and Triple-A for a little while, but when the Brewers needed to make room for their trade deadline acquisitions, Hudson was designated for assignment. He landed with the Chicago White Sox and made four appearances for their big-league squad, but now that chapter in his career appears to also be coming to an end; on Wednesday afternoon, the White Sox designated Hudson for assignment.

Bryan Hudson designated for assignment by Chicago White Sox not long after his breakout 2024 campaign in Milwaukee

Though Hudson strung together a few good outings for the White Sox' Triple-A squad down the stretch of the 2025 season, and Chicago needs effective relievers in the bullpen group, the now-28-year-old lefty was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for newcomer Austin Hays.

Despite the abrupt end to Hudson's time in Milwaukee, the rookie season that he put together in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular and made the Brewers' front office once again look like psychics. According to Baseball Reference, Hudson was worth a ridiculous 2.5 Wins Above Replacement in 2024, which is not an easy number to reach as a middle reliever. The fact that his name was included in All-Star conversations the year after he was traded for a 20th-round pick is simply incredible.

The underlying metrics suggest that Hudson's 2024 season was no fluke -- his expected ERA and expected batting average against were in the 89th and 93rd percentile, respectively -- but when Hudson couldn't command his pitches in 2025, the results were catastrophic. To regain the form that he showed he was capable of, Hudson needs to find more consistent control of his offerings, seeing as he won't overpower hitters and he possesses very low chase and whiff rates. If a team can unlock what the Brewers did back in 2024, they could be adding a low-risk, high-reward reliever to their pitching staff by acquiring Hudson in the coming days.