“South Dakota”: Like his sinking fastball, Dakota Hudson’s ERA dropped in the final two months last season, and he finished the year at 3.35, third-lowest among rookies in all of baseball with at least 100 innings pitched.
“North Dakota”: In the same 2019 season, so many important statistics were frighteningly high for Hudson, notably his 86 walks (most in baseball) and his 4.92 FIP (the highest Fielding Independent Pitching rating in the National League).
“When you’re looking at having success at the major league level, and as you’re thinking about sustainability, there are some things that you have to see happen,” said John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations.