Tim Hudson signs a two-year contract with the Giants

After nine seasons with the Braves, Tim Hudson is headed back to the Bay Area, where he began his career with the Athletics.

Pay per head services found out via Buster Olney from ESPN that the Athletics finished second in the chase for their former ace.

Hudson has been a model of consistency over his 15-year career, with a 3.44 ERA; he has only seen that number above 4.00 for a season on two occasions, once in 2000, when he was second in Cy Young voting with the A’s and once in 2006 with the Braves.

Last year he had a solid 3.97 ERA and 1.19 WHIP through 21 starts before breaking his ankle in July. Nevertheless, the right-hander will be cleared to run in a couple of weeks and is expected to be healthy by Spring Training. Hudson has never had a losing record in his 15 seasons in the league.

The move will bolster a Giants rotation that finished tied for 12th in the National League in ERA last season. They already have a dynamic one-two punch at the top of the rotation with Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain but Tim Lincecum has been inconsistent the last two seasons and they declined options to keep Barry Zito and Ryan Vogelsong from becoming free agents.