Hudson starts slowly but appears healthy

“I was a little tentative at first from my stride standpoint, but after the first and into the second inning, I really started feeling comfortable [with my] lower half,” Hudson said. “I got that confidence in it and started really getting out over my front side like I normally do.”

The G-Braves allowed six runs in the top of the ninth in a 9-5 loss.

With Braves teammates Brian McCann and Adam LaRoche watching from the front row at Gwinnett Stadium, Hudson was hitting 92 mph on scouts’ radar guns. The stadium radar gun was low, but Hudson was told his fastball was 90-93 mph, his cut fastball 87-89 mph.

“I’m really happy with how my cutter is right now,” Hudson said. “And I’ve thrown some really good [split-finger fastballs], and that’s obviously tested my elbow really good.”

Hudson will pitch again Tuesday, possibly with the Gwinnett Braves in Norfolk. He needs at least two to three more outings to build up to 90 pitches before he’s ready to return.

Also Thursday, Jordan Schafer got the cast removed from his left wrist and plans to test it out swinging on Monday. If it’s still bothering him over the next week, Schafer said he’ll need surgery, which would require three months to recover.

The center fielder has been bothered by a wrist injury since April 10 when he got hurt swinging against the Nationals. He tried to play through it but hit only .204 in 50 games in his first taste of the majors.