Baseball has given us a million reasons to smile and cry. However, the recent news that’s coming from the center will surely bring smiles to the faces of many. A 45-year-old Red Sox fan favorite, who hasn’t stopped trying to play Major League Baseball, is finally in the spotlight. The reason? Well, for him, age is just a number that can never act as a barrier in his career and he is on his way to making an ambitious comeback. Guessed the name yet?
We are talking about Rich Hill, who is trying to continue his major league career in the American League Central. The left-hander, who threw for the New York Yankees in 2014 as well as other teams, could tie Edwin Jackson’s record of 14 if he returns to the major leagues. Hill made four appearances in the Red Sox’s bullpen during his previous season in the major leagues before being assigned in September. With the Red Sox, he went 12-9 with a 3.34 ERA in his 30 starts and 44 relief appearances. And now, Hill has finally signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals.
“He had been throwing and said he felt good. We had contacted him, actually, last year. He wanted a little bit more of a clear path to the Major Leagues, so we reached out to him this year,” Royals assistant GM Scott Sharp was quoted as saying. Sharp came up to him and told him that he had a chance to start in Triple-A, but he did not give him any hope that he would make it to the major leagues.
However, considering that Rich Hill could still pitch quite perfectly, there was no question of him filling the spot. In the past 20 seasons, Hill has managed to appear in at least one game while making his major league debut in 2005. For those unaware of his performance, the southpaw has thrown curveballs at a 4.01 ERA while striking out 1428 batters across the 1409 innings he played. Moreover, he has already pitched for the Red Sox, Dodgers, Pirates, Cubs, Rays, Mets, and other teams, so why not again?
As long as he continues to pitch well, he will undoubtedly pursue his goal of making a bold MLB comeback. Even the Royals manager, Matt Quatraro, has been all praise for him. “I love Rich. I was with him for a year in Tampa. It’s remarkable that he’s still pitching, that he still has the drive to want to do it and go to Triple-A and continue to compete.”
Quatraro’s got a point, though! His zeal to win every game is what makes him stand out even at this age, making him even more unique than the others. However, there’s still a question mark on how long he will be able to get going.
Red Sox fan favorite makes no intention to retire
Amid the Kansas City Royals signing the veteran lefty, who has defied the ageing curves, Rich Hill shows no sign of stopping. Hill has remained true to his statement that he does not intend to retire, even after 2024. Now that Hill is set to play again, he is currently the oldest player with a contract, joining alongside Justin Verlander, 42, of the San Francisco Giants.
However, Rich Hill hasn’t been in the best of form in 2023, as he finished with an ERA of 5.41. Even after being included in the major league roster, he wasn’t offered a rotation job. Adding to his woes were the low-impact relief appearances, which led to him being released. However, with him in the Royals now, he has Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, who used to be his former teammates.
“He helped me out a lot a couple of years ago talking about some different pitch shapes. He’s just a joy to be around,” Lugo said, as if it’s now his turn to give it back to him. Meanwhile, Scott Sharp is optimistic that Hill can fit into any role and with the support of his teammates, he has a long way to go. Along with using his years of experience to mentor the team’s younger players, Hill can also infuse the clubhouse with enthusiasm and positivity.
Do you think Rich Hill can make his way back to the majors?
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