After nearly a year out of the major leagues, veteran pitcher Rich Hill is on his way back. On Monday, FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray was first to report that the Kansas City Royals were expected to call up Hill to the major league roster, and had the potential to play as early as Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs.
Hill is 45 years old, and is what you would call a journeyman pitcher in MLB. In fact, when Hill does play, he will make MLB history.
As CBS Sports points out, when Hill suits up for the Royals, this will be his 14th MLB team. This officially would tie the record set by former starting pitcher Edwin Jackson.
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Rich Hill ties MLB record for most teams played for after call-up by Royals
For those unaware, here is every team Hill played for during his career, dating all the way back to 2005.
Team | Years Played |
|---|---|
Chicago Cubs | 2005-2008 |
Baltimore Orioles | 2009 |
Boston Red Sox | 2010-2012, 2015, 2022, 2024 |
Cleveland Indians | 2013 |
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 2014 |
New York Yankees | 2014 |
Oakland Athletics | 2016 |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 2016-2019 |
Minnesota Twins | 2020 |
Tampa Bay Rays | 2021 |
New York Mets | 2021 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 2023 |
San Diego Padres | 2023 |
Kansas City Royals | 2024 |
There is only one team where Hill played for multiple stints, and that's the Boston Red Sox. Hill played for four separate stints, with the latest being 2024. The other 12 teams prior to his Royals call-up were just for one stint.
At 45 years old and 132 days, Hill is also set to make further history, as he's set to be the oldest player to play in a game since Ichiro Suzuki in 2019. Hill is also the oldest pitcher to make an appearance in the MLB since Jamie Moyer did so in 2012 at 49 years old.
Hill spent 11 games in the minor leagues across Rookie ball and Triple-A. In that stretch of games, Hill recorded a 5.22 ERA, a 1.50 WHIP, a 4-4 win-loss record, 61 strikeouts, and 25 walks in 50.0 innings.
Hill will now join a Royals team that is 49-52 on the year entering Tuesday morning. The Royals are 11 games back of the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL Central, but they are just 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. We'll see if Hill can provide a further boost to the Royals' already impressive pitching staff.