Pitcher Rich Hill is back with the Boston Red Sox. The veteran left-hander officially signed a minor league contract with the team on Friday. According to Rob Bradford of WEEI.
This is the eighth time Hill, 44, has signed with the Red Sox. If he pitches for Boston this season, it would be his fourth stint with the team.
Hill is expected to join Triple-A Worcester on Sunday or Monday, after his son finishes a baseball tournament in Cooperstown.
In five seasons with Boston, Hill appeared in 70 games and started 30, compiling a 12-8 record and a 3.31 ERA with 181 strikeouts in 185 innings. Last year, Hill pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres, making 32 appearances (27 starts) with a 5.46 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 146 1/3 innings.
Times Rich Hill signed with the Red Sox:
August 16, 2024
December 1, 2021
August 14, 2015
March 26, 2014
February 1, 2014
December 13, 2011
December 16, 2010
June 30, 2010—Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) August 16, 2024
In his 19 MLB seasons, Hill has pitched for 13 teams. He has a career record of 90-73 with a 4.01 ERA, averaging 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
Red Sox starting pitchers have a collective 3.97 ERA this season, tied for 11th in MLB. But the rotation just lost James Paxton to a partially torn right calf, likely for the year. Garrett Whitlock hasn’t pitched since April, and Lucas Giolito underwent season-ending elbow surgery.
Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello have all struggled for consistency. Cooper Criswell was activated from the COVID-19 injured list on Friday. And Hill could join the rotation soon.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees also reportedly showed interest in Hill. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported.
Entering Friday’s game, the Red Sox are in third place in the American League East with a 63-57 record, having lost six of their last eight games. Boston is 2.5 games out of the final AL wild-card playoff spot.