Report: Tim Hudson set to sign 2-year, $23 million contract with San Francisco Giants
By Brad Rowland
Jul 11, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson (15) pitches in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
As the MLB “hot stove” heats up, we already knew that veteran Braves pitcher Tim Hudson had “mutual interest” with the San Francisco Giants, but on Monday, that interest reportedly turned into a full-blown marriage.
Source: #SFGiants, Tim Hudson close on two-year, $23 million contract. Still language to be resolved. First reported @JohnAllenKCNBC
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 18, 2013
It’s important to note that neither of the two parties have “officially” confirmed this contract language (as of this post), but all signs (including multiple reports) point to Hudson joining the San Francisco Giants for a large sum of cash.
Earlier in the off-season, I openly campaigned for Hudson as a candidate for the 2014 Braves rotation, but my original thinking that he would be available for a “hometown discount” in the 7-figure range was clearly off-base. Despite his advanced age at 39, Hudson’s market was large, and the Braves simply can’t afford to invest 2 years at $11.5 million per season for what amounts to insurance policy in the rotation.
Hudson has been a fan favorite in Atlanta and a personal favorite of mine for a long time, so it is tough to see him leave for “greener” pastures in San Francisco. However, it would be difficult to fault him for taking a much better offer than what the Braves could generate, and I wish Tim Hudson well as he heads back to the West Coast.