SAN FRANCISCO – Even in his late 30s and a year removed from a devastating ankle injury that cut short his 2013 season in Atlanta, Tim Hudson pictured himself pitching at a high level again.

That’s the reason he took the leap to move back cross country and join the San Francisco Giants, leaving his Georgia roots last fall and returning to his Bay Area baseball beginnings.

Now, the veteran right-hander is headed to the N.L. Championship Series in the deepest playoff run of his 16 major league seasons. San Francisco makes its third NLCS appearance in five years when it opens Saturday at St. Louis, playing its fourth in a row.

Hudson is likely to pitch Game 3 of the best-of-seven series Tuesday at AT&T Park.

“I’m toward the end of my career here and it’s the first time I’ve been past the first round,” Hudson said Wednesday. “I don’t think there’s going to be anybody on the field that’s going to be more emotionally involved than I am for the next series, or two series.”

Ryan Vogelsong wanted to pitch Hudson into the next round. Tim Lincecum enjoyed the division series celebration that much more knowing what it meant to the guy who shares his first name. Manager Bruce Bochy got a thrill watching Hudson add another accomplishment.

“If you’re not walking in his shoes, to take the magnitude of how many years he’s played in this league and to have never been to this point, I can’t really describe it for him,” right fielder Hunter Pence said. “If I think in my imagination, I think of 17 years, think of where you were 17 years ago, imagine reaching a milestone you’ve never reached before. I think any player will say there’s no accomplishment greater than what you do as a team in the postseason.”

Pitching deep into October with a regular contender is something Hudson mentioned right away when he finalized his $23 million, two-year contract last November.

The Giants needed Hudson to fill a hole with an experienced starter. Hudson needed the Giants to join a winner as he worked himself back.