Chicago reshuffles its bullpen after Opening Day, bringing back Bryan Hudson while sending Tyler Gilbert to Triple-A.
The Chicago White Sox made an offseason trade just before the start of spring training, sending left-handed pitcher Bryan Hudson to the New York Mets for cash after designating him for assignment on February 4.
Hudson was bumped from the 40-man roster as the corresponding move for the signing of free agent outfielder Austin Hays.
Now, less than two months later, they’ve essentially undone that move.
Prior to Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Game 2 of the 2026 regular season, the White Sox claimed Hudson off waivers from the Mets. New York opted not to carry him on its Opening Day roster, and because he was out of minor league options, Hudson was designated for assignment. That opened the door for the White Sox to bring him right back into the organization.
It’s a full-circle moment, and one that highlights what’s becoming a bit of a rollercoaster when it comes to the White Sox and their left-handed pitching situation.
Hudson first gained real traction at the MLB level with the Brewers in 2024, when he posted a 6-1 record with a 1.73 ERA across 43 appearances. By the end of June that season, he had a 0.82 ERA and was even generating buzz as a potential NL All-Star candidate.
Things took a step back in 2025, as he bounced between the majors and Triple-A Nashville. The White Sox initially brought him into the organization via a waiver claim in August, and he appeared in four games at the big league level down the stretch.
So yes — in a vacuum, this should be viewed as a positive development to have him back.
There were plenty of White Sox fans frustrated to see the organization move on from Hudson so quickly earlier this year. While his recent MLB production has been inconsistent, the upside is still there. The 28-year-old has shown he can be a legitimate weapon out of a major league bullpen, and the underlying metrics still suggest there’s something to work with.
But when you zoom out, the bigger picture is more confusing.
The White Sox have been clear in their desire to carry three left-handed relievers in the bullpen. But that final spot has felt anything but settled.
Tyler Gilbert made the Opening Day roster and even got into the game, but surrendered a two-run home run and didn’t look particularly sharp. Now he's being sent down one day later after the White Sox opted to keep Gilbert over Brandon Eisert, burning a minor league option, and ultimately moved on from Ryan Borucki.
Borucki, notably, had a dominant spring and was an easy player to root for given his Chicagoland roots and lifelong White Sox fandom. Instead, he landed with the San Francisco Giants on a major league deal.
He's no longer with the White Sox because they decided to keep Gilbert, who has now been sent down, all just to bring back a pitcher they already had and removed from the organization weeks prior.
Is adding Hudson a good move? Sure. There’s logic behind wanting to take another look at a pitcher with his track record and profile.
But the sequence of decisions — from cutting Borucki, to prioritizing Gilbert, to immediately pivoting back to Hudson — raises fair questions about where things will go from here.
Borucki, for what it’s worth, already turned in a strong outing in his Giants debut.
Time will tell if Hudson can rediscover his 2024 form and carve out a meaningful role in this bullpen. And clearly, there was something the White Sox valued during his brief stint in the organization that made him worth bringing back.