Padres' Hudson Finishes Rehab With Lake Elsinore Storm

San Diego Padres second baseman Orlando Hudson paid a three-day rehab visit to the Lake Elsinore Storm, beginning Wednesday and ending Friday.

The “O-Dog” got what he was looking for, which was plenty of at-bats against professional pitching. The switch-hitter is also getting his left groin back in shape, which he injured May 25 in a game against St. Louis while running out a seventh-inning single. He was put on the 15-day disabled list the next day.

This past week’s action was the first since then for the 33-year-old two-time All-Star. Hudson is expected to rejoin the Padres Monday against the Red Sox in Boston.

“Everything’s going good,” Hudson said before Friday’s 11-0 win over the High Desert Mavericks. “I feel good running, so it’s definitely good to get back out there and get back out on the base paths and see how things go before I get back out there.

 “I’ll be doing my agility work Saturday and Sunday in Minnesota,” Hudson continued. “Then I’ll be back up in Boston.”

On Friday, Hudson was the star in six innings of work. He went 3-for-3 at the plate with four runs and three RBIs. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, the left-handed hitting Hudson belted a three-run home run to left, a few feet to the right of the foul pole, as part of a 9-run inning. It was the second time he batted in the inning; in the first at-bat he walked and later scored. Nate Freiman hit a 409-foot grand slam to left-center in the first.

Starting pitcher Pedro Hernandez (5-0) threw 5 1/3 perfect innings, allowing one hit in six innings.

On Thursday, in a 1-0 loss to High Desert, Hudson got his first hit with Lake Elsinore, finishing 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in seven innings. In a 7-1 win Wednesday over Lancaster, he went 0-for-1 with two walks in six innings. Hudson also appeared in a May 18 rehab start against the Inland Empire 66ers, going 0-for-1 with two runs scored and two walks.

“I feel good,’ Hudson said. “I’m getting my longevity in, you know, getting ready for the remainder of the season. So I feel good, definitely get back in the groove, trying to get my timing back at the plate.”

Hudson said he enjoyed his stint playing for Lake Elsinore.

“I’ve had a blast with the young guys,” Hudson said. “I know when I was young once in A-ball and you know, having big leaguers come down for rehab a little bit. So it’s definitely fun. The crowds are great. We had a D.J. on Thirsty Thursdays and the music’s real fun. They have a great coaching staff; you have a manager who played in the major leagues (Phil Plantier) a long time. He put up great numbers when he played, too. We have a lot of good young talent here.”

Plantier was impressed with Hudson’s performances this past week.