Video: Gruesome Broken Ankle Ends Baseball Pitcher's Season

Wednesday night, late in a game against the New York Mets, a freak injury ended the evening and the season for Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson.

By all accounts, Hudson was cruising towards a win. It was the 8th inning and the visiting Braves were leading the the Mets 6-0 (in a game they would eventually win 8-2). Hudson had already struck out 9 batters and was two outs away from finishing the inning and turning the game over to the Braves relief staff. That's when the Mets left fielder Eric Young Jr. hit a ground ball to the right of the Braves first baseman who fielded the ball and flipped it to Hudson who was running to cover first.

Tim Hudson, the baseball, and Eric Young all arrived about the same time. And then this happened.

Watch the play unfold. (Warning: squeamish readers may want to look away.)

To his credit, Hudson made the out before collapsing in pain on the field. The injury to the ankle was so severe, he had to be carted off to the dugout.

Braves pitcher Tim Hudson writhes in pain after breaking his ankle. Image: MLB.com

Eric Young, the Mets player who stepped on Hudson's ankle, stayed by his side as medical personnel rushed to his aid.

Eric Young checks on Braves pitcher Tim Hudson. Photo credit: AP

Major League Baseball's website reported that Young talked with Hudson, apologizing for the injury. MLB.com posted Young's account of the interaction;

"I just apologized to him, told him it was an accident. Obviously, I wasn't trying to hurt him on the play. He just told me to keep my head up and keep playing the game the hard way and the right way. He said there was nothing I can do about it. That made me feel somewhat better, but still bummed that he's going to be out for a while."

Shortly after the game, the Braves announced that Hudson would undergo ankle surgery in Atlanta and that his season was over.

Long time Braves pitcher Tom Glavine (who actually played for the Mets too), sent well wishes via Twitter as the story was trending on social media within minutes.

Tom Glavine tweets get well wises to Tim Hudson. Image: Twitter

Young also tweeted about the incident.

Image: Twitter