Free-agent pitcher Rich Hill is throwing for interested teams on Friday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. at Champion Physical Therapy and Performance in Waltham, Mass., a source familiar with the throwing session said.
Hill, 44, has reportedly drawn interest from the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, among others. The data from recent throwing sessions have been positive, with his curveball remaining a plus-pitch.
Said one person close to Hill: “This isn’t about money but about the love of the game, the need to compete, and the will to win.”
Free agent Rich Hill reportedly set to throw for interested teams Friday
In 19 major-league seasons, Hill has posted a 4.01 ERA and 1423 strikeouts in 1405.1 innings. In 2021 and 2022, he posted a 4.04 ERA in 283 combined innings before recording a 5.41 ERA in 146.1 innings with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres.
In August 2022, Hill told Rob Bradford of WEEI that he was considering only playing in the second half of the 2023 season. He ultimately signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Pirates in December 2022, but the idea of signing midseason was still a serious consideration, and he reportedly turned down offers this offseason in hopes of signing with a contender down the stretch.
Hill presents an intriguing option for teams in need of starting pitching. At the trade deadline, prices for starters were astronomically high, and ultimately scared some teams away from adding to the rotation. Adding Hill will not require parting with any prospects and won’t require any team to break the bank for a pitcher who has made 13 career postseason appearances, posting a 3.06 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 53 innings.