Free-agent left-hander Rich Hill is back on the mound and has interest from the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. At 44, Hill is hoping to get back for what would be a 20th season in the major leagues. What kind of role Hill would occupy if he were to lace up his cleats in 2024 remains to be seen, as he made five appearances as a reliever last season with the San Diego Padres. The veteran southpaw didn't look like he had much left in the tank, however, managing a 5.41 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 129 strikeouts and 58 walks through 146 1/3 innings (27 starts) during time with the Friars and mostly the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hill will have some low-end streaming appeal in fantasy in favorable matchups if he latches on with a contender and makes starts for them, but he's safe to ignore on waiver wires for now.
Free-agent veteran left-hander Rich Hill said he is ramping up throwing bullpen sessions in preparation to sign with a team in August as a versatile pitcher. It appears that Hill is healthy, but it remains to be seen how much interest he'll generate on the open market after going a combined 8-14 with a bloated 5.41 ERA (4.87 FIP) and 1.52 WHIP with 129 strikeouts and 58 walks in 146 1/3 innings pitched over 32 appearances (27 starts) with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres last year. He's no spring chicken at 44 years old but does have plenty of MLB experience with 19 seasons under his belt. If Hill is picked up by a club in the second half of the season, he won't be guaranteed to have a big role and will most likely operate as a swingman/long-reliever out of the bullpen, leaving him minimal fantasy appeal.
San Diego Padres left-hander Rich Hill intends to pitch again next season. The well-traveled 43-year-old seems to feel he's got some more left in the tank ahead of free agency, despite registering the worst ERA (5.41) and WHIP (1.52) over his 146 1/3 innings pitched in a decade of play. Hill looked his age after joining San Diego for the stretch run, slinging to a ghastly 8.23 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 27 1/3 IP. We'll have to wait and see where the southpaw's merry-go-round will land him next, after pitching for 13 MLB teams throughout the course of his journeyman career, but Hill shouldn't be fantasy relevant in 2024 drafts.
The San Diego Padres put left-hander Rich Hill on waivers on Tuesday to see if another team will pick him up for the last few weeks of the regular season, according to a source. If nobody comes calling, he'll remain with the Padres for the rest of the year. The 43-year-old just hasn't been good in 29 appearances (27 saves) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Padres in 2023, so there's a good chance he'll go unclaimed. The 43-year-old southpaw was acquired from Pittsburgh in a trade in early August, and he's been even worse in his time in San Diego, giving up 25 runs (23 earned) on 31 hits (eight home runs) while walking 10 and striking out 19 in 22 1/3 innings over seven outings (five starts). Hill is well over the hill and doesn't appear to have much left in his career.
Rich Hill Returning To Padres Rotation On Wednesday
San Diego Padres left-hander Rich Hill will return to the starting rotation for the Friars on Wednesday to face the St. Louis Cardinals on the road. The Padres need another starter after they placed right-hander Yu Darvish (elbow) on the 15-day injured list on Monday. Hill will have a solid matchup against the disappointing Cardinals in his return to a starting role this week, but the 43-year-old southpaw has also gone 0-3 with an ugly 9.53 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in his first three starts with San Diego after coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a deadline deal. In 14 innings for the Padres, he's surrendered 14 earned runs on 18 hits (five home runs) while walking five and striking out 11. We wouldn't recommend him as a DFS streamer.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Rich Hill won't take the ball versus the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The team has decided to skip Hill in the rotation after he allowed 12 runs over his first three starts with the Padres. The veteran left-hander has looked completely lost since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline. In his absence, Pedro Avila will take the ball this weekend versus Milwaukee.
The San Diego Padres and starting pitcher Rich Hill start up a pivotal four-game series with the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. The 43-year-old's Friars career hasn't gotten off on the right foot thus far, giving up nine runs in 6.1 innings pitched over two starts. Hill labored through 3.1 frames against the D-backs in his time out, and the journeyman owns a 6.27 ERA to go with a 1-9 record in 14 lifetime starts (70.1 IP) opposing Arizona. It's Hill's worst career ERA versus any particular NL club. Even on a short Thursday slate, season-long fantasy managers might want to avoid the struggling southpaw.
Rich Hill To Make Padres Debut Sunday Against Old Team
Left-handed veteran Rich Hill is set to make his debut for the San Diego Padres this Sunday against one of his old teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres landed Hill and first baseman Ji Man Choi from the Pittsburgh Pirates at Tuesday's trade deadline. The 43-year-old southpaw is mostly an innings-eater at this point in his career, and he hasn't been very effective in 22 starts for the Bucs in 2023, going 7-10 with a 4.76 ERA (4.45 FIP) and 1.48 WHIP, but he has struck out 104 hitters in 119 innings pitched. Hill is a fine matchup-based streamer in much deeper fantasy leagues and he'll have a much better offense backing him in San Diego, but we'd recommend fading him in his Friars debut on Sunday against the first-place Dodgers.
The San Diego Padres have acquired starting pitcher Rich Hill and first baseman Ji Man Choi from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The move offers the Padres two experienced yet relatively affordable players that can serve as key depth pieces down the stretch. Hill, who will head to his 13th team, is in his age-43 season and has remained effective, pitching to a 4.45 FIP, 7.87 K/9, and 3.55 BB/9. The southpaw is only a relevant fantasy option in very deep leagues. Meanwhile, Choi will get an opportunity for a fresh start in San Diego after slashing .205/.224/.507 with a poor wRC+ in Pittsburgh. He owns a 2.6% walk rate and 35.5 strikeout rate, both of which are career-worsts. He can be avoided in fantasy baseball.
Pittsburgh Pirates Rich Hill pitched for 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five batters Friday. Although he managed to strike out the side in the second inning, Hill struggled to keep the Blue Jays from scoring throughout the rest of the game. Hill had allowed only five runs in his four previous starts. However, after Friday's game, his ERA stands at 4.54. Hill is set to face Colorado next week.
