The Dodgers picked up their 2023 option on reliever Daniel Hudson, who has been out with a torn ACL since late June.
Back in late June, Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson was on quite a hot streak, allowing just two runs in 14 appearances between May 12 and June 24.
Then a nightmare happened.
Hudson, who went through two Tommy John surgeries earlier in his career, went to field a grounder in front of the mound and crumpled to the ground in pain. Tests after the game confirmed what everyone suspected watching it live: Hudson had torn his ACL and would be out for the season.
The 35-year-old Hudson has spent 13 years in the big leagues, so there was no guarantee he’d be back from this latest injury. He had considered retirement after the 2021 season before deciding to come back to the Dodgers.
On Thursday, we got word that Hudson will be back with Los Angeles next year, as the Dodgers exercised their team option for 2023 and also negotiated another team option for 2024.
Hudson has pitched for seven different teams in his 13-year career, including two stints with the Dodgers. He was a key part of the L.A. bullpen in 2018, then was the closer for the World Series champion Nationals in 2019 after being traded from the Blue Jays at midseason.
After two seasons in D.C., the Nats traded Hudson to the Padres for the last few months of the 2021 season, after which he came back to Los Angeles.
Hudson has a 3.81 ERA in 789.1 career innings, with a 59-43 record and 32 saves. He’ll turn 36 during spring training next year.