Looking back at the career of a Nationals Legend who recently called it a career

I sound like a broken record, but it is remarkable how good the Washington Nationals were from 2012-2019. Aside from the consistent offenses and the super star power, our rock was the starting pitching. I would take our starting pitching stacked up against anybodys over that stretch, but it goes without saying we always had one weakness: the bullpen.

Mike Rizzo would always neglect to build up the bullpen in the offseason, before making moves around the trade deadline, like Mark Melancon and Jonathan Pabelbon.

Coming off another NLDS loss in 2016, Washington had one of their best rosters assembled in 2017, but lacked firepower relievers, netting Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson from the Athletics. After a disappointing 2018 season and on their way to another in 2019 after a 19-31 start, we all know the fire that magical team caught and ended up getting three relievers at the deadline, in Hunter Strickland, Roenis Elias, and of course, Daniel Hudson.

Strickland and Elias had relively no impact down the stretch, but Hudson made it all worth it. Not only was Daniel Hudson one of our saviors and most important pieces for the 2019 World Series team, he had an outstanding career with us and outside of the organization, turning out to be one of the best trade acquisitions in Nationals history.

Hudson is the symbol of perseverance. He went to high school in Virginia Beach, followed by a good collegiate run at Old Dominion, finishing his college career in the top 5 of team records in many pitching categories, behind only Justin Verlander. Hudson began his career as a reliever before quickly becoming a starter, with the White Sox, before being traded to the Diamondbacks and settling in with the DBacks in 2011. Hudson actually won a silver slugger that year at 24 years old, throwing 222 innings with a 3.49 ERA and 18 hits in 65 at-bats (.277 batting average) with a home run. After bursting onto the scene in 2011, Hudson went under the knife for the first time in his career, missing the second half of the 2012 season due to Tommy John Surgery. Upon returning in 2013, heartbreak happened again: Hudson re-tore his UCL in a rehab game, getting Tommy John for the second time and not returning until the end of 2014 for only three games.

Hudson remained a full-time reliever for the rest of his career, with a 4.39 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings from 2015-2018 with the DBacks, Pirates, and the Dodgers. After missing the last month of 2018 with LA, Hudson settled for a minor league deal with the LA Angels heading into 2019. Suffering another blow, Hudson was let go after Spring Training. He signed a deal with the Blue Jays three days later, and after a 3.00 ERA in 45 games, he was shipped to Washington at the trade deadline. And that folks is when the magic happened.

Daniel Hudson came in to help an ailing Sean Doolittle at a desperate time in the wild-card race, and he ended up doing that and a lot more. Hudson finished the 2019 regular season with a 1.44 in Washington, converting 6 saves with a 316 ERA+ in 24 appearances. Hudson was spectacular, and continued that success into the playoffs, not allowing a run in the Wild Card Game, NLDC, and NLCS, before throwing the final out of the 2019 World Series Game 7. Hudson was rewarded with a 2-year deal to return, before being traded to San Diego in 2021 for Mason Thompson.

After signing with the Dodgers in 2022 pitching some of the best baseball of his career, Hudson tore his ACL, before straining his MCL in 2023 and missing most of the season. Hudson returned to the Dodgers on a minor league deal heading into the 2024 season, and he ended up throwing 63 innings of 3.00 ERA baseball, finishing as a World Series Champion once again.

After a Game 5 clinching victory in New York, Hudson immediately called it quits to ride off into the sunset. The 37-year-old gave it all he had to go all in for 2024 and knew he could not put himself through another 162, even telling reporters after that if he had to pitch in Game 5 he was worried he would blow out his elbow again.

Hudson finishes his career as a 2-Time World Series champion, the Silver Slugger winner in 2011. He had stints with the White Sox, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Nationals, Padres, and the Dodgers once again, to end his career. He made 61 starts and 547 total appearances, throwing 855 1/3 innings of 3.74 ERA ball, with 817 strikeouts.

Cheers to a fantastic career for a guy who always left it all out on the line. Congrats to Daniel Hudson and the Los Angeles Dodgers on a real ring.