NEW YORK — Daniel Hudson is going out on top. Just the way he wanted it. The 37-year-old relief pitcher confirmed in the Dodgers’ celebratory clubhouse on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium that the 2024 season would be his last. He joins outfielder Kevin Kiermaier on this year’s Dodgers team in calling it a career. Kiermaier announced his retirement plans earlier this season, before he was acquired by the Dodgers from the Toronto Blue Jays. “This is the only reason I came back, for this feeling right here,” Hudson said after the Dodgers’ Game 5 win. “This is the only reason I came back. I wanted to go out on top and that’s what’s happening.” A fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox out of Old Dominion in 2008, Hudson forged a 15-year big-league career against all odds. He twice had Tommy John surgery, ending his days as a starter and had two knee injuries with the Dodgers that cost him more time. A reliever for most of his career, Hudson played for seven teams including two stints with the Dodgers. The highlight of his career came in 2019 when he closed out the Washington Nationals’ World Series victory. Hudson finishes with a 65-45 career record with 43 saves and a 3.74 ERA. This season with the Dodgers, he made 65 appearances (his highest since 2019) with a 3.00 ERA and 10 saves, tying his career-high. In the postseason, he made seven appearances and allowed five runs in six innings. FERNANDO STATUE Fans of recently deceased Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela have started a petition at change.org asking the Dodgers to erect a statue of Valenzuela at the stadium. Related Articles Los Angeles Dodgers | Resilient Dodgers dealt with a lot on their way to World Series title Los Angeles Dodgers | Alexander: It’s time to give Dodgers’ Dave Roberts his flowers Los Angeles Dodgers | ‘Top of the World’ book commemorating the Dodgers’ World Series championship season available to order Los Angeles Dodgers | Alexander: Dodgers cement their status as baseball’s best Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodgers erase 5-run deficit to win first full-season World Series title since 1988 The Dodgers currently have statues of Sandy Koufax and Jackie Robinson in the center field plaza area. The Dodgers’ World Series victory parade on Friday falls on Valenzuela’s 64th birthday. TV RATINGS The star-studded matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees produced big numbers for FOX Sports. The Series-ending Game 5 drew 18.5 million viewers, the best for a Game 5 on FOX since the 2017 World Series between the Dodgers and Houston Astros with a peak audience of 21.2 million viewers during the late innings. The World Series averaged 15.8 million viewers per game, also the best ratings since 2017.