Rich Hill has faith in the 2023 Boston Red Sox lineup.
The former Red Sox now-Pirates southpaw pitcher made his Fenway Park return during the three-game set between Boston and Pittsburgh, which ended Wednesday. But before the Pirates swept the Red Sox in three games, Hill highlighted a few offseason moves his former team made, which the 43-year-old found noteworthy.
Hill also emphasized his faith in a few former teammates from last season, who will make for what he described as a “strong” lineup in 2023.
“I think with the additions of (Adam) Duvall, (Justin) Turner and also (Ramiel) Tapia. I think those guys coming in, and Alex Verdugo coming into his own a little bit more, (Triston) Casas having the experience that he didn’t have last year,” Hill told Chris Cotillo of MassLive on the “Fenway Rundown” podcast. “Along with Kiké (Hernández) and Connor Wong with Reese (McGuire), the experience is there and the understanding of how this season is gonna be paced out.”
So far, so good for the most part in regard to Boston’s offense. The Red Sox are only six games into their campaign, and they’re already sixth in Major League Baseball in runs scored (35). Through their first three games, which proved to be a slugfest with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston scored nine runs on three consecutive occasions.
And while that run production has taken a dip recently, scoring a combined eight runs in three contests with the Pirates, Hill isn’t concerned.
“They certainly have the guys over there to keep everything at neutral,” Hill said. “… And not get too high or get too low. But overall, I think that the offense is — from top to bottom — a very strong lineup.”
Hill, who met with Red Sox front office members during the offseason ahead of his 19th big league year, wasn’t able to land a deal, leading to his one-year, $8 million agreement with Pittsburgh.
“From the beginning (of the offseason), I knew that there’d be a small chance of being able to have the opportunity to come back here,” Hill explained. “And as a player, when you think about it, and you’re in the players’ shoes, you’re like, ‘Well can’t sit and wait and hope something works.’ Yeah, of course, coming back here was priority No. 1.”
