Daniel Hudson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daniel Hudson |
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Hudson with the Washington Nationals in 2021
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 9, 1987 Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 4, 2009, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 2024, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 65–45 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.74 | ||
| Strikeouts | 817 | ||
| Saves | 43 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Daniel Claiborne Hudson, born on March 9, 1987, is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, from 2009 to 2024. Daniel was picked by the Chicago White Sox in the 2008 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2009.
Hudson also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, and San Diego Padres. He was the pitcher who closed out Game 7 of the 2019 World Series. This win gave the Nationals their first championship ever. In his last season, he won his second World Series in 2024 with the Dodgers.
Contents
Becoming a Baseball Star: Daniel Hudson's Early Career
High School and College Baseball Days
Daniel Hudson went to Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He also attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. There, he played college baseball for the Old Dominion Monarchs.
While at Princess Anne, Hudson helped his team win the 2005 state championship. In 2007, he played summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners. This team is part of the famous Cape Cod Baseball League. Daniel finished his college career with 295 strikeouts. This placed him second all-time in his school's history. He also had a win–loss record of 20 wins and 14 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 3.79.
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Chicago White Sox chose Daniel Hudson in the fifth round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. For the rest of 2008, he played for the Great Falls Voyagers. This was the White Sox's rookie-level team. He won 5 games and lost 4, with an ERA of 3.36. He also struck out 90 batters.
In 2009, Hudson quickly moved up through the minor league teams. He started with the Kannapolis Intimidators. Then he went to the Winston-Salem Dash and the Double-A Birmingham Barons. He had a great record of 7 wins and 0 losses with a 1.60 ERA in Birmingham. Finally, he reached Triple-A with the Charlotte Knights.
Daniel Hudson's Major League Baseball Journey
Playing for the Chicago White Sox
The White Sox brought Hudson up to the major leagues on September 3, 2009. He had a fantastic minor league record of 14 wins and 5 losses. In his first MLB game on September 4, 2009, he pitched two innings without giving up any runs.
Hudson first pitched out of the White Sox bullpen. Later, he joined the starting rotation. He earned his first major league win on September 27, 2009. He pitched six innings and allowed only two runs. In 2010, he was called up again to replace an injured teammate.
Time with the Arizona Diamondbacks
On July 30, 2010, the White Sox traded Hudson to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He had a great season with them, winning 7 games and losing 1, with a 1.69 ERA. In 2011, Hudson finished the season with 16 wins and 12 losses. His ERA was 3.49, and he had 169 strikeouts.
He also showed he could hit, leading all pitchers with 18 hits and 14 RBIs. He won the 2011 Silver Slugger Award for being the best hitting pitcher. He helped his team win the NL West division title.
Overcoming Injuries
In 2012, Hudson had Tommy John surgery on his elbow. This surgery kept him from playing for the rest of that season. In 2013, he had the same surgery again. This meant he missed the entire 2013 season as well.
After these surgeries, Hudson returned in 2014 as a reliever. He pitched in a few games that year. In 2015, he pitched only from the bullpen, appearing in 64 games. In 2016, he played in 70 games and earned 5 saves.
Moving to Other Teams
On December 21, 2016, Hudson signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2017, he played in 71 games for the Pirates. He had a record of 2 wins and 7 losses with a 4.38 ERA.
In 2018, the Pirates traded Hudson to the Tampa Bay Rays. However, the Rays released him soon after. On April 2, 2018, Hudson signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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He made it to the Dodgers' main roster and played in 40 games. He won 3 games and lost 2 with a 4.11 ERA. He missed the last month of that season due to an arm injury.
In 2019, Hudson signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. He had a record of 6 wins and 3 losses with 2 saves and a 3.00 ERA in 45 games.
Becoming a World Series Champion
On July 31, 2019, the Blue Jays traded Hudson to the Washington Nationals. With the Nationals that year, he won 3 games and had 6 saves with a very low 1.44 ERA.
Hudson missed Game 1 of the 2019 National League Championship Series to be with his wife for the birth of their third daughter. He returned to the team and was on the mound when the Nationals won the 2019 World Series. On October 30, 2019, he pitched the final inning of Game 7. He struck out two batters to secure a 6–2 victory. This win made the Nationals the 2019 World Series champions.
He signed a new contract to stay with the Nationals in 2020. In the shorter 2020 season, Hudson earned 10 saves. In 2021, he became a setup pitcher, helping to set up the closer.
Later Career and Second World Series Win
On July 30, 2021, Hudson was traded to the San Diego Padres. He finished the 2021 season with a 3.31 ERA and 75 strikeouts.
On November 30, 2021, Hudson signed a contract to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched in 25 games, winning 2 and losing 3, with a 2.22 ERA and five saves. In June 2022, he tore his ACL in his knee. This injury ended his season.
Despite the injury, the Dodgers kept him for the 2023 season. He was slowed by ankle problems and then injured his knee again in July 2023.
Hudson re-signed with the Dodgers for the 2024 season. He pitched in 65 games, winning 6 and losing 2, with a 3.00 ERA. In the 2024 postseason, he helped the Dodgers win the 2024 World Series. Right after the Dodgers won the series, Daniel Hudson announced his retirement from baseball.
How Daniel Hudson Pitched
Daniel Hudson used several different types of pitches:
- Four-seam fastball (very fast, 91–98 mph)
- Two-seam fastball (also fast, 91–95 mph)
- Slider (a breaking pitch, 81–84 mph)
- Changeup (a slower pitch, 82–85 mph)
- Cutter (a fastball with a slight cut, 86–89 mph)
About half of his pitches were four-seam fastballs. He used the two-seamer and changeup more against left-handed batters. His slider and changeup were often used when he had two strikes on a batter. Early in his career, he sometimes threw a curveball, but he stopped using it after 2010.
Daniel Hudson's Family Life
Daniel Hudson is married to Sara, and they have three daughters.
Awards and Special Mentions
- 2009 "Overall Starter of the Year" in Minor League Baseball
- 2011 pitchers' Silver Slugger Award (for best hitting pitcher)
- 2× World Series champion (2019, 2024)
