Free agent left-hander Rich Hill is sticking to his plan of signing with a club during the season. He tells Ian Browne of MLB.com that he actually turned down offers from three teams in the winter but is still preparing for an upcoming signing.
“I’ve been working out and throwing,” Hill said. “I’m continuing to progress and get ready for when that opportunity comes around to go and pitch. The idea is to be ready when that time comes.”
It was back in October that Hill told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune his plan was to wait until the midway point to sign for the 2024 season, which wasn’t an entirely new idea for him. In August of 2022, he told Rob Bradford of WEEI that he was considering the half-season plan for 2023. He didn’t follow through on that, signing with the Pirates for the 2023 campaign in December of 2022. He was later traded to the Padres and finished last season with them.
This time around, it seems Hill is committed to following through on the experiment. The most recent offseason was rough on some veteran players, with Brandon Belt one player who remained unsigned and expressed frustration at the lack of interest. Hill is also unsigned but seemingly by choice, based on his claim that he turned down offers.
He has been open about wanting to spend more time with his family, currently coaching little league games for his son, but there’s also a logic to it from a performance standpoint. He is now 44 years old, far older than the average player. In fact, with Hill unsigned, the oldest active player in MLB right now is the 41-year-old Justin Verlander. If Hill eventually does join a team this summer, he’ll be the oldest player in the league by almost three years, with his March birthday just behind Verlander’s February birthday on the calendar.
Though he has remained remarkably effective into his 40s, his results have naturally dipped a bit. As recently as 2021, he was able to make 31 starts and toss 158 2/3 innings with a 3.86 earned run average. But his ERA ticked up to 4.27 in 2022 and then 5.41 last year. He had a 4.76 mark in 119 innings with the Bucs in 2023 but then an 8.23 ERA with the Padres after the deadline trade.
By waiting until midseason, he could perhaps sacrifice some quantity in favor of quality, staying fresh for the second half of the season while also targeting a spot on a club in the mix for a playoff spot. Contending clubs are always looking to bolster their pitching staffs for the final months of the schedule, and the large number of high-profile injuries could broaden the number of teams seeking reinforcements this year.
Hill’s status as a midseason mercenary will be an interesting experiment to watch this summer. For clubs looking for pitching but reluctant to surrender prospects, they could give Hill a call and not have to give up any young talent. If it goes well, it could potentially even set a precedent for older pitchers; other veteran hurlers might see the appeal of sitting out the first half and saving their bullets for a strong finish and playoff push.
Good. I’m sick of people saying you should retire at the top.
The top of the hill? Bobbbbbby!
The new Jamie Moyer – not a bad gig.
there is a time to get off the chair lift
It isn’t when you are still enjoying the ride and getting paid millions to do it.
I can see him signing with Boston, his local club with the understanding they will trade him if they’re not in the WC race. Win-win. Anyone think the Sox won’t need another starter?
Whoever he signs with he won’t be ready until after the All Star break at the earliest, and likely later than that. No one is going to trade him or trade for him. They’ll either sign him or not sign him and wherever he signs will be where he plays for the 2024 season.
If he’s been pitching, it won’t take nearly that long to ramp up. Also, he lives in the area and I’m “assuming” living at home at this stage is important to him. Otherwise, he would have already signed and been “hidden” on the IL. Not too hard to do that given his age and history. It also could be a pipe dream with no team offering what he expects.
Because injuries happen and you take no financial risk if he’s lousy and cooked. Many teams at the deadline will be trying to stay under the tax levels.
He’s been “throwing” not “pitching” and we all saw how ready to face MLB hitters guys like Snell, Montgomery and Clevinger were when they finally signed after only “throwing” through most of Spring Training. He’ll need a minimum of 3 rehab starts in the minors before he’s of any use to a major league team.
I doubt he gets an offer in the millions, but he should take it if he does.
Need more old, reliable guys playing in the MLB. Getting tired of seeing all these young guys constantly getting hurt. Oh no! I hurt my pinky. I need to go on the IL for 90 days…
If he was reliable, wouldn’t he be available now instead of mid-season?
Is this humor? Rich Hill is as oft injured as they come. He’s been injured every year for 20 years, only hitting 30 GS twice
Exactly why he wants to self-limit his workload. If a team comes calling, he wants to be able to help in October.
Rich Hill is only 25th on the active leaderboard for IP despite pitching forever. Fewer innings than Julio Teheran, Kyle Gibson, Sonny Gray, Carlos Carrasco.
Ah Yes the Giancarlo Stanton Aaron Judge method.
Hey I’m an old reliable guy! Let’s go baby!
Definitely over the Hill
Ironically, Blister has been anything but “old reliable”….
Astros should sign him sooner rather than later… their playoff aspirations are dying
Hill at Minute Maid would be a disaster..
Houston needs to being back Tals Hill so Rich can be *puts on shades*
King of the Hill
YEEEAAHHHHH
While he’s older now, he has had success on Fenway…
Saw every start of his for the Padres last year, and he was HORRIBLE. He won’t get better with age.
Texas Rangers confirmed
Every team has 2+ minor leaguers that are better. You noticed there were no GM’s to sign you in off season! What does a 5+ era offer any team especially a “contender”??
Enjoy the lack of offers. If you get one you know who should be fired at once!
Lol. The dbacks GM shouldn’t be talking down to anyone.
@D Backs GM
DBacks are garbage this year. Corbin Carroll is trying too much and that’s why he’s terrible. MLB network did a good breakdown of his trouble but I’m not sure if he wants to listen to them or not.
See his last 2 games? He’ll be fine.
Well what players don’t listen to mlb network on making adjustments? I’m sure they’re glued to the tv. His numbers will be just fine by the end of the year.
D Backs:
No, I don’t my team to sign him but that said, let me say this:
18 years
75.5 mil earnings
90 wins
382 games
1405.1 innings
4.01 career era
What does this mean? RESPECT
Compare to your stats sitting on the couch.
Past results do not mean future results. Nothing against Rich Hill he’s had a ok career and should have $ in the bank so the lack of offers won’t hurt his retirement.
As far as this years dbacks they lost 199 games to injury from their projected opening day roster in 31 games and will probably lose in that neighborhood in May in only 26 games. No team is going to do great in such circumstances. It’s even worse in lower revenue clubs. However, we were 18 under.500 between June 16 and August 12 and still made the playoffs & a great postseason. Anything is still possible.
Then three GMs should be fired since Hill received three offers, as he and the article stated, which were probably ST invites.
Rich Hill presents the paradox of taking huge chunks of time away from pitching while extending his career. Hill was in the twilight of his career a long time ago. Given the age gap from Hill isn’t that big, maybe the LAD should take another look at 2 HOF Dodger starters. Koufax’ elbow is probably much better than in 1966 and Marichal’s back is probably better than it was when he retired in 1975. I wouldn’t offer either a long term contract though.
Not sure why age matters. If you are good at 40, why not 45?
Age-related decline is very well understood in athletic competition. Reflexes slow, recovery takes longer, more general wear-and-tear means a higher baseline for injuries, etc.
Which also is why he is only looking to pitch half the year this year. He knows he’s old and can’t hold up for a full MLB season but feels he can still be effective for half of one. Someone will give him a chance to see if he’s right about that.
Aging is not linear, least of all for pitchers. At some point, no matter the cost, Hill is occupying a roster spot. Can he get through five innings regularly with roughly league-average results? Who would want to sign a near-unknown at that point in the season? Any team in it needs to set their sights higher and any team out of it would just go to organizational depth (unless he’s signing for prorated league minimum).
No disrespect to the great Koufax but if I’m seeing an 80+ year old playing again, to me it’s Yaz playing a ball off the green monster. He was my idol growing up and since I really haven’t, he still is!
Any time ole Dick Mountain is in the news, it’s a good day.
Dick Mountain is forever. Blessed be this comments section on this glorious day.
Might be effective as a long reliever/spot starter for a contending club in the 2nd half. Or a way to give a team that has young guys with inning limits a break
I hope he signs with the Dodgers…
Me too
Seems like yesterday he was that rookie for the Cubs with the big curveball.
I believe that sometimes it isn’t the lack of interest but the amount of money the free agent is asking for.
I believe he can tie Edwin Jackson for most teams played for if he signs with someone new as well. I am 100% rooting for that. The grid is calling…
In an ideal world, he gets signed by a new team that then falls out of contention and dumps him and he gets a second new team and sets a new record.
I’d also like to see him go back to the Angels so he doesn’t have to retire with an infinite ERA with that org.
#betteroptionthanbauer
I bet Bauer has a lower ERA this season if he and Dick Mountain both signed today.
I bet bauer does something immature or borderline illegal and is suspended if they’re both signed today. Oh wait…it doesn’t matter because Hill is the only one a shot at pitching in the MLB this year.
I bet you’re wrong. But there’s only one way to find out…
Thankfully we’re never going to find out.
Why thankfully?
You know why
I honestly don’t.
Because bauer won’t be signed by an mlb team
Why are you thankful for that?
Roger Clemens used this same half-season strategy in 2006 with the Astros and 2007 with the Yankees (his age 43 and 44 seasons). He had decent results (more so with the Astros) which, if combined into one full season, looked like this:
W-L: 13-12
IP: 212
H: 188
W: 60
SO: 170
WHIP: 1.17
ERA: 3.18
He was also paid a combined $29.6 million, which would be $40.5 million adjusted for inflation.
Clemens was juiced out of his gorde
Twins could definitely use some SP depth. We’re one injury away from running Randy Dobnak out onto the mound lol. The lack of any SP signing this off-season is so frustrating. Especially since it is well known that was our biggest need.
Maybe a Sept. signing on a dual contract. Pitch a few weeks in AA or AAA and then call up with expanded rosters. He’s a once thru lineup guy only, if that. I do think he’s done though. Take a bow and hang up them cleats Dick Mountain.