Tim Hudson is in no rush to return to the major leagues, especially the way the Braves pitching staff is going right now. Besides, he still has work to do.
Hudson made his third rehab start Monday and pitched four innings for the Class AAA Gwinnett Braves against Lehigh Valley. Just shy of a year from ulnar collateral ligament surgery on his throwing elbow, the right-hander threw 40 pitches — 29 for strikes — and allowed four hits, one in each inning. He did not allow a run or a walk and struck out two.
“As of right now, I don’t think they need me too much,” Hudson said of his pending return to the Braves. “Our guys are throwing the ball real good. There really is not a hurry. There is really not an extreme need for me right now. I’m just getting my work in and getting ready to get big-league hitters out. It will be some time in August.”
Hudson said he would pitch five innings in his next rehab appearance, which will come either Friday or Saturday. The G-Braves are home against Rochester on Friday and travel to Columbus on Saturday. Hudson could pitch at another classification if he were to pitch Saturday.
“It all depends on how my arm responds but it will probably be Friday,” Hudson said.
Hudson said he was pleased overall with the outing. He said he still needs to work on his command and his velocity was better in his previous two outings for Class A Myrtle Beach.
“I was missing over the plate more than I’d like,” Hudson said. “Sinkers into right-handers, instead of throwing them in on the black and sinking off the plate, they are starting more middle- to inner-third and going toward the corner. Those are the pitches I gave up some hits with today. It’s one of those things where I have get a little finer with my command.”
His rehab portfolio shows steady progress. In three rehab starts, Hudson has worked 8-2/3 innings, allowed nine hits and three earned runs for an ERA of 3.11. He has struck out five and walked two. On Monday one fastball clocked in the fourth inning hit 91 mph on the stadium radar gun.
Hudson had been scheduled to pitch four innings or 60 pitches Monday.
“The main thing is to sit down between innings and get back out there and see how it responds to that,” Hudson said. “It responded pretty well.”
Hudson flied out to right field in his only plate appearance.
Hudson wore No. 14 for the G-Braves, since infielder Brooks Conrad regularly wears his No. 15. He is the 10th Atlanta Brave to make a rehab start in Gwinnett. Playing much closer to home, Hudson’s wife and children attended the game. His father and brother made the trip from Alabama to see him pitch for the first time in a year. He’s getting closer to the Braves rotation.
“I’m not really holding back,” Hudson said. “There is some release points with some pitches that I’m still a little foggy about. That’s going to come the more hitters I face.”
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