Braves pick up contract options on three players

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have picked up the 2013 contract options on right-handed pitcher Tim Hudson, catcher Brian McCann and left-handed pitcher Paul Maholm.  Details of the contracts were not released. 

Hudson, 37, went 16-7 with a 3.62 ERA in 28 starts for the Braves in 2012, including 12-4 with a 3.53 ERA over his last 20 starts. He is 105-65 in eight seasons with the Braves and owns a career record of 197-104 in 14 seasons.  Hudson has never had a losing season as a professional pitcher and his career winning percentage of .654 ranks 12^th in Major League history among pitchers with at least 200 career decisions.

McCann, 28, was limited to 121 games in 2012 due to a shoulder injury.  He underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder on October 16 and is expected to be able to return to light baseball activities in approximately four months.  If his rehabilitation goes as planned, he should be able to return to full baseball activity in approximately six months.  McCann owns a career batting average of .279 with 156 home runs and 604 RBIs. He has clubbed at least 20 home runs in six of his seven full seasons. A five-time Silver Slugger winner, McCann is the only player in Braves franchise history to be named to the National League All-Star team in each of his first six full seasons.

Maholm, 30, joined the Braves in a July 30 trade and boasted a 3.54 ERA in 11 starts for Atlanta.  He went 13-11 with a 3.67 ERA in 31 starts between the Braves and the Chicago Cubs in 2012.  Maholm, who has averaged 184 innings pitched in his seven full Major League seasons, owns an overall career record of 66-84 in eight campaigns.