Nationals to open NLCS with reliever Hudson on paternity list
ST. LOUIS — Washington Nationals reliever Daniel Hudson was placed on the postseason paternity list Friday and won’t be available to pitch at the beginning of the NL Championship Series against St. Louis.
Right-hander Wander Suero will be on Washington’s active roster until Hudson returns. Hudson, who has two saves and a win during the playoffs, is permitted to be away from the team for a minimum of one day and a maximum of three days. When he rejoins the Nationals, he will take Suero’s spot.
Major League Baseball approved the roster substitution and announced it hours before Game 1 in the best-of-seven series at Busch Stadium.
Hudson’s absence weakens a shaky Washington bullpen that had the worst ERA in the National League at 5.66. The right-hander went 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA and six saves in 24 regular-season appearances for the Nationals after he was acquired from Toronto at the July 31 trade deadline. He’s pitched in four playoff games this month against the Brewers and Dodgers, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Suero was 6-9 with a 4.54 ERA and one save in 78 games this season. He made one appearance in the Division Series victory over the Dodgers, getting one out but giving up a run and two hits.
Washington put 11 pitchers on its 25-man NLCS roster. Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki and center fielder Victor Robles were included after both got injured during the series against the Dodgers.
The Cardinals went with the same roster they used in the Division Series against Atlanta.
