Rich Hill returning to MLB as a 45-year-old on record 14th team
The 45-year-old southpaw is heading back to the big leagues after getting called up by the Royals, FanSided's Robert Murray reported Monday.
When he makes his debut with Kansas City, he'll have played for 14 different MLB teams, tying Edwin Jackson for the most a player has joined in a career.
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He'll also become the oldest player in the league, beating out the Giants' Justin Verlander, who is 42.
3 Rich Hill last pitched in the majors for the Red Sox in 2024.
AP
In the 21 years since he broke into the big leagues with the Cubs in 2005, Hill has managed to remain a major-leaguer despite never becoming an All-Star.
He has had several particularly impressive seasons over the years, though, including a terrific 2016 campaign, when he posted a 2.12 ERA across 110.1 innings with the Athletics and Dodgers.
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The Milton, Mass. native continued to thrive with Los Angeles from 2017-2019, posting a sub-3.00 ERA in each of those three seasons.
Hill's numbers have worsened in the last few years as he's entered into his mid-40s, but he has remained a capable arm.
3 Rich Hill #44 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the seventh inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 29, 2024.
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3 The Royals will be Rich Hill's 14th MLB team.
AP
He notched a 4.76 ERA in 119 innings with the Pirates in 2023 before a brief, and brutal, stint to close that season with the Padres.
He pitched just 3.2 major-league innings with the Red Sox last season before getting signed to the minor-league deal in Kansas City.
Hill has been pitching with the Royals' Triple-A squad in Omaha this season, posting a 5.22 ERA in 11 starts, although that figure is bloated by a few particularly poor outings.
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He can pitch for Kansas City as soon as Tuesday, and could carve out a role for himself with Cole Ragans (shoulder), Alec Marsh (shoulder) and Michael Lorenzen (oblique) sidelined.
Standing at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Hill primarily relies on a four-pitch mix of a four-seamer, sweeper, cutter and curveball, according to Baseball Savant.
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