Dodgers decline Daniel Hudson’s 2024 club option

The Dodgers on Sunday declined Daniel Hudson’s $6.5 million club option for 2024, per multiple reports, which makes the veteran right-hander a free agent.

Hudson went through extreme highs and lows during 2023. He made his way back to a major league mound after missing a year with a torn ACL in his left knee. But after only three games back over the span of a week, Hudson injured his right knee, spraining his MCL on July 5.

Though Hudson was working his way back and at least might have been available had the Dodgers advanced further in the playoffs, that MCL sprain ultimately ended his season three months early.

It was just another injury setback for Hudson, who underwent two Tommy John surgeries early in his career when he was a starting pitcher. In his last 10 seasons, Hudson has pitched in relief in 417 of his 420 appearances.

In August, the 36-year-old Hudson told Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register that retirement is a consideration. “I’m pretty over being in pain. I’ve been in pretty consistent pain for about 15 months. I’ve thought about it but at the same time, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Hudson told Plunkett.

While on the mound, Hudson was very effective in his second stint with the Dodgers. He also pitched for the club in 2018. The right-hander in 2022-23 pitched in 28 games, with a 1.98 ERA, 2.14 FIP, 35 strikeouts (a 31.5-percent rate), and eight walks in 27⅓ innings, and even saved six games.

The Dodgers extended Hudson in September 2022, while he was rehabbing his torn left ACL, which locked in what would have been a club option for 2023, guaranteeing the $6.5 million with another club option for 2024 tacked on.