SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Hudson is headed back to the Bay Area.
The San Francisco Giants have finalized a $23 million, two-year contract with the free-agent pitcher, who began his career with Oakland.
Hudson had a physical Monday, and the team announced the agreement Tuesday.
He made his major league debut with the Athletics in 1999 and went 92-39 in six seasons with Oakland, where the right-hander teamed with Mark Mulder and Barry Zito to form a successful “Big Three.”
The 38-year-old went 8-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 21 starts this season for Atlanta. His season was cut short by a broken right ankle that required surgery. The Braves earlier this month declined to make a qualifying offer to Hudson, who won 49 games during the previous three seasons.
“I’m pumped,” Giants lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt said by text message. “Great signing for us. Competitor and innings eater. Knows how to win!”
Hudson was hurt July 24 in New York when the Mets’ Eric Young Jr. inadvertently stepped on the back of the pitcher’s lower right leg while Hudson covered first base.
San Francisco, which missed the playoffs this year after winning the World Series in 2010 and ‘12, is seeking another starter to join Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum in a rotation losing Zito and probably also free-agent righty Ryan Vogelsong.
Cain and Bumgarner are signed long term, while Lincecum received a $35 million, two-year deal last month.
Hudson was drafted by the A’s in the sixth round of the 1997 amateur draft out of Auburn.
Oakland traded Hudson to the Braves in December 2004 and he pitched nine seasons in Atlanta. The three-time All-Star earned NL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2010 after he returned from elbow ligament replacement surgery to go 17-9 with a 2.83 ERA. He underwent surgery for a herniated disk in November 2011.
The Giants had been eager to find an experienced starter to fill in the rotation. Zito just finished a $126 million, seven-year contract and had his $18 million option declined for 2014. Vogelsong’s $6.5 million option for 2014 was declined by the club.
Hudson is 205-111 in a 15-year career and was coming off a $36 million, four-year contract.
After snapping a career-worst 10-game winless streak with a 13-4 victory July 6 at Philadelphia, Hudson went 4-0 with a 3.10 ERA in his last four starts.
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