Tim Hudson suffers gruesome broken ankle [video]

Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson broke his right ankle Wednesday night when New York’s Eric Young Jr. stepped on his ankle while Hudson was covering first base during Atlanta’s 8-2 victory.

“We won, but it’s a tough night,” catcher Brian McCann said.

Hudson, 38, ran to first after Young hit a grounder to Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman in the eighth inning. Hudson took Freeman’s toss at the bag just before Young arrived. Young stepped on the back of Hudson’s right ankle, snapping his leg in a scene reminiscent of Joe Thiesmann’s infamous “Monday Night Football” injury.

The crowd groaned when the replay was shown.

“I’m hustling down the line like I always do, going for the base,” Young said. “I saw his foot, as I’m going for the base, right there in the middle, as I came down, I knew I didn’t get any of the base. I know I got all of his foot. I pretty much knew it was probably broke right as I did it, and that’s why I sprinted right back to him and tried to console him as much as I could and apologize.

“I was able to see Tim before they took him to the hospital. He told me it wasn’t my fault, just one of those freak plays that happened.”

Hudson will have surgery on the ankle as soon as the swelling goes down and is more than likely done for the season.

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