Dodgers learn Daniel Hudson is out for year, then bullpen falters in loss to Braves
ATLANTA — On Saturday afternoon, the Dodgers learned they would be without setup man Daniel Hudson for the rest of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Later that night, they were reminded just how much they will miss him.
After coming back from a three-run deficit earlier in their game against the Atlanta Braves, the Dodgers’ 5-3 loss was cemented during a high-leverage sequence that, had he still been healthy, likely would have gone to Hudson.
After tying the score in the top of the eighth, the Dodgers summoned hard-throwing right-hander Brusdar Graterol out of the bullpen for the bottom half of the inning.
Final: Braves quell Dodgers comeback, win 5-3 to even series
The Braves have evened up this series, winning 5-3 on Saturday night in a game they squandered a three-run lead before Marcell Ozuna hit the deciding home run in the eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen got the save in the ninth inning, striking out the side against his former team.
And now, Sunday’s game will represent a series rubber match.
The Dodgers are now 44-26.
Final: Braves 5, Dodgers 3
Braves take lead on Marcell Ozuna’s home run off Brusdar Graterol
The tie game didn’t last long.
In the kind of high-leverage situation — tie game, eighth inning — that might usually go to Daniel Hudson, the Dodgers instead called up Brusdar Graterol to face the bottom half of the Braves order.
He couldn’t keep them off the board, giving up a leadoff double to Travis d’Arnaud and tie-breaking two-run home run to Marcell Ozuna that made it 5-3 Braves.
The Braves will now turn to their new closer, and the Dodgers’ old one, Kenley Jansen, in the ninth inning for the save.
End 8th: Braves lead 5-3
Dodgers tie it up on Will Smith’s home run
Once down 3-0 and showing little sign of life at the plate, the Dodgers have come back to tie this game.
After they tacked on two runs in the seventh, Will Smith hit a solo home run off AJ Minter to lead off the eighth, his 11th home run of the season.
The Dodgers had a chance to take the lead later in the inning, too, after Justin Turner singled and stole second. However, Trayce Thompson and Hanser Alberto both struck out to end the threat.
Mid 8th: Tied 3-3
Dodgers get a couple, but still trail after Freddie Freeman strikes out with bases loaded
After RBI singles from Cody Bellinger (which knocked Max Fried out of the game) and Austin Barnes (in the first at-bat against reliever Will Smith), the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning.
And who else but Freddie Freeman came to the plate.
Being booed between pitches for perhaps the first time in his life in the city of Atlanta, Freeman struck out on four pitches, ending the threat and keeping the Braves lead intact.
Mid 7th: Braves lead 3-2
Max Fried keeps rolling as Braves extend lead
Max Fried has been dominant tonight.
Through five innings, the left-hander has given up three hits. He hasn’t walked a batter. And he has five strikeouts, including three in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom half of the inning, he got some more support too.
The Braves got back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, knocking Dodgers starter Mitch White out of the game. Alex Vesia entered in relief and got two outs, including a pickoff, but then gave up an RBI double to Austin Riley.
End 5th: Braves lead 3-0
Braves strike first, taking early lead with Max Fried dealing
After two quiet innings to begin the game, the Braves were gifted the night’s best chance in the third inning, when Dodgers right fielder Trayce Thompson came in on a hard line drive that instead got over his head for a leadoff double.
The Braves took advantage of the opportunity two batters later, when Dansby Swanson swatted a two-run blast to center field to open the scoring.
The Dodgers thus far have just two hits against Braves ace Max Fried, who shut them out over seven innings during a game at Dodger Stadium in April.
End 3rd: Braves lead 2-0
Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson to miss rest of season because of torn ACL
ATLANTA — The Dodgers’ biggest fear with Daniel Hudson was confirmed Saturday.
The reliever will miss the rest of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, dealing an already banged-up Dodgers bullpen another major blow.
“It’s a huge loss,” manager Dave Roberts said of Hudson, who had a 2.22 ERA while serving in a setup role this season. “We’re going to figure out who that guy is to bridge finish the game and to bridge the gap to the closer.”
Hudson was injured Friday night during the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves when his knee buckled on the mound while he reacted to a ground ball in front of the plate in the eighth inning.
“Looking back on it, I’ve got no fricking shot of getting him out right there. I’m not making that play,” Hudson said. “But instinctually, you just try to go make a play on it. As soon as I planted to push off and run that way, my knee just buckled. It just gave out on me. It didn’t really feel painful to me, but I could definitely feel something was wrong in there and it just got worse.”
Based on manual tests trainers performed Friday night, the team was pretty sure he had torn his ACL. That diagnosis was confirmed by scans taken on Hudson’s knee Saturday.
“As soon as I felt it, I knew something was not great,” Hudson said. “I couldn’t put much weight on it coming off the field. So I figured it wasn’t good and kept my fingers crossed. But as the night progressed and obviously this morning, we didn’t get good news.”
Hudson, 35, said he will go back to Los Angeles to meet with doctors and said surgery is likely. He hopes the injury, which will require six to nine months of rehabilitation, won’t be career-ending but acknowledged that “at this stage at my career, it’s kind of concerning and it’s hard not to have bad thoughts. Hopefully I can get through this and maybe give it another shot.”
Hudson said the most disappointing part of the injury was not being able to help the Dodgers the rest of the season. After signing with the club this past offseason, coming back to Los Angeles for his second stint with the Dodgers, Hudson had become one of the team’s most important relievers, often facing the most difficult part of an opposing lineup in the latter innings to serve as a bridge to closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth.
With Blake Treinen, Tommy Kahnle, Victor González and Danny Duffy all still at least a month away from returning, Hudson’s injury leaves another important void in the bullpen for the Dodgers to fill.
“To lose him,” Roberts said, “it’s a big loss.”
Saturday’s lineup
With Hudson going on the injured list, the Dodgers recalled Mitch White on Saturday as he gets set to take the mound for his fifth start of the season.
The Dodgers also activated infielder Hanser Alberto from the paternity list and designated Stefen Romero for assignment.
Here’s their full lineup for their second game this weekend against the Braves, who send ace Max Fried to the mound:
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season:
Dodgers fear knee injury will end Daniel Hudson’s season; Andrew Heaney goes on IL
ATLANTA — The Dodgers’ pitching staff might have suffered another major blow Friday night.
In the eighth inning of the team’s 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves, reliever Daniel Hudson suffered a potentially season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, manager Dave Roberts said, after his left knee buckled while he moved to field a ground ball in front of the mound.
While the team won’t have an official diagnosis until Hudson gets scans on his knee later this weekend, Roberts said the early indication from a manual exam is that the ligament is torn, which would effectively end his season.
“It doesn’t look good from all indications,” Roberts said. “Things can happen, but I just don’t see how it’s not the end of his season. So it’s potentially a huge loss for us.”