Daniel Hudson

The Chicago White Sox selected Hudson in the fifth round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. For the remainder of the 2008 season he was assigned to the White Sox rookie-level affiliate, the Great Falls Voyagers, where he posted a W–L record of 5–4 and an ERA of 3.36 in 14 starts. He struck out 90 batters in 69 2/3 innings.

Hudson began the 2009 minor league season at Low-A level, with the Kannapolis Intimidators. After posting a 1.23 ERA in four starts, Hudson was promoted to the Winston-Salem Dash, the Sox Advanced-A team. After 8 starts and a 3.40 ERA in Winston-Salem, Hudson was once again on the move up, this time to the Double-A Birmingham Barons. Hudson's rapid rise through the White Sox minor league system continued in Birmingham, where he posted a record of 7–0, with a minuscule 1.60 ERA. After nine starts at Double-A level, Hudson was promoted to Triple-A. With the Charlotte Knights Hudson went 2–0 with an ERA of 3.00 in five starts.

The White Sox promoted Hudson to the majors for the first time on September 3, 2009, after posting a 14–5 record and a 2.32 ERA, and striking out 166 in 147 1/3 innings at four minor league levels.[3] In his Major League debut on September 4, 2009, he pitched two innings of scoreless relief. Hudson made three appearances out of the White Sox bullpen before taking over Gavin Floyd's spot in the rotation for the remainder of the 2009 season, after Floyd sustained a hip injury. He received his first win in his second start on September 27, 2009, allowing two earned runs over six innings at U.S. Cellular Field vs. the Detroit Tigers. That victory completed the rare accomplishment, and perhaps unique in baseball history, of recording wins in five different levels of professional baseball, including the majors, in one season.

After starting the 2010 season in the minors, Hudson was called up on July 11, 2010, to replace Jake Peavy, who was out for the season with a torn right latissimus dorsi muscle.[4]

Hudson with the Diamondbacks in 2016

On July 30, 2010, the White Sox traded Hudson and minor league pitcher David Holmberg to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Edwin Jackson.[5] He was 7–1 with a 1.69 ERA with the Diamondbacks that season. Hudson finished the 2011 season 16–12, with a 3.49 ERA and 169 strikeouts over 222.0 innings pitched. He also hit .277/.309/.369 and had 14 RBI and 1 home run as a batter. He helped lead the team to an NL West division title and won the 2011 pitching Silver Slugger as the best batter at his position. On July 9, 2012, Hudson underwent Tommy John surgery which eliminated him for the remainder of the 2012 season. Hudson began the 2013 season on the 60-day disabled list still recovering from the Tommy John surgery he previously had. In a rehab start with the Double-A Mobile BayBears on June 4, 2013, Hudson re-tore his ulnar collateral ligament. Hudson underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time of his career on June 18, 2013, which shut him down for the entire 2013 season. After the season, Hudson was non-tendered by Arizona, becoming a free agent. It was rumored that Hudson still wanted to return to the Diamondbacks and on December 13, 2013, Hudson signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks.[6]

Nearly two years after surgery, Hudson returned as a reliever late into the 2014 season. He pitched in three games, totaling ​2 ²⁄₃ innings.

Hudson with the Pirates in 2017

On December 21, 2016, Hudson signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.[7] In the 2017 season, Hudson appeared in 71 games for the Pirates, compiling a 2–7 record and a 4.38 ERA.[8]

On February 22, 2018, the Pirates traded Hudson, Tristan Gray, and cash considerations to the Tampa Bay Rays for Corey Dickerson.[9] However, the Rays released him on March 28.[10]

On April 2, 2018, Hudson signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[11] He made the Dodgers major league roster and pitched in 40 games for them (with one start) and was 3–2 with a 4.11 ERA in 46 innings, before missing the last month of the season with an arm injury.[12]

On February 9, 2019, Hudson signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels.[13] He was released on March 22, and signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on March 25.[14] Hudson finished his stint with the Blue Jays accumulating a 6–3 record with 2 saves and a 3.00 ERA in 45 games (1 start).

On July 31, 2019, the Blue Jays traded Hudson to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Kyle Johnston.[15] With the Nationals in 2019, he was 3-0 with six saves and a 1.44 ERA in 24 relief appearances (25 innings).[16] Between the Blue Jays and the Nationals combined in 2019, he was 9-3 with eight saves and a 2.47 ERA in 69 games (one start) covering 73.0 innings.[17]

Hudson missed Game 1 of the 2019 National League Championship Series to be with his wife in Scottsdale, Arizona, to witness the birth of their third daughter.[18] Hudson was on the mound when the Nationals won the 2019 World Series. On October 30, 2019 he pitched the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series, striking out two of the three batters he faced (José Altuve and Michael Brantley) to close out a 6-2 victory as the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros to win the 2019 World Series championship.[19] He signed a two-year, $11 million contract to stay with the Nationals on January 6, 2020.[20]