NEW YORK — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Daniel Hudson has retired from MLB after 15 seasons, he announced after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the 2024 World Series on Wednesday in New York.
“This was the only reason I came back — to go out on top. And that’s what’s happening,” the 37-year-old Hudson said minutes after the game.
Hudson served as a reliable relief arm out of the Dodgers bullpen this season, pitching to a 3.00 ERA across 63 innings in 65 games. He allowed one earned run through his first six games pitched this postseason before allowing four runs in one inning in an 11-4 loss to the Yankees in Game 4.
The Dodgers’ World Series title marks the second championship Hudson has won in his career, the first coming with the Washington Nationals in 2019.
Hudson, a collegiate standout at Old Dominion, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB Draft. He debuted for the White Sox in 2009, but was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks the following season.
After a breakout season as a starting pitcher in 2011 with the DBacks, Hudson underwent Tommy John surgery in consecutive years in 2012 and 2013. He pitched another three seasons as a reliever for the DBacks from 2014-16 before becoming a veteran journeyman for the remainder of his career. Hudson also pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dodgers in 2018, Toronto Blue Jays, Nationals and San Diego Padres before re-joining the Dodgers ahead of the 2022 season.
For his 15-year MLB career, Hudson retires with a 65-45 record, 3.74 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 817 strikeouts in 855.1 innings pitched in 547 games, including 136 starts.