Rich Hill To Red Sox? Why Fourth Stint In Boston Could Happen

The Boston Red Sox haven’t been able to keep their pitching staff together all season.

In fact, if you throw a dart at their Opening Day roster you’re bound to land on a pitcher who has spent a significant amount of time on the injured list. Chris Sale, James Paxton, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck have all spent more time on the IL than in the rotation, while relievers John Schreiber, Wyatt Mills and Zack Kelly have either failed to see the field or put up minimal innings.

That’s why it would shock some to learn that, despite all of the injuries, the Red Sox remain competitive and in the hunt for an American League Wild Card spot. Boston will do its homework on the pitching market as we approach the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

With needs in the rotation and the bullpen, why not take a gander at a familiar face who can serve in both roles?

Info:
Name: Rich Hill
Position: Starter
Age: 43 (March 11, 1980)
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 220 pounds
Throws: Left

2023 stats*:
19 games, 104 innings
7-9 record, 4.76 ERA, 93 strikeouts
1.442 WHIP, 4.40 FIP, 94 ERA+
8 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 2.27 K/BB

Career stats*:
369 games (240 starts), 1,363 innings
89-68 record, 3.92 ERA, 1,387 strikeouts
1.245 WHIP, 4.02 FIP, 109 ERA+
9.2 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 2.65 K/BB

*through July 19

Why Hill makes sense for Red Sox:
If anything in this world is true, it’s that the Red Sox are familiar with Hill.

The 42-year-old southpaw has spent five seasons with Boston across three different stints, doing a little bit of everything for the Red Sox. His most recent tenure came in 2022, meaning manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom know what they’re getting if they were to swing a potential trade.

Hill isn’t going to blow anyone away with raw stuff, but he knows how to get people out and could be a valuable piece in either the starting rotation or the bullpen. The Pittsburgh Pirates stink, so they’ll have no problem coming off Hill and given the likely minimal return, they could do him a favor in sending him back home.

Why Hill doesn’t make sense for Red Sox:
The Red Sox have a really good bullpen, even with all of the injuries, so there’s a world where Hill doesn’t really have a place on the Red Sox roster.

If Sale, Whitlock and Houck all return, someone is getting bumped to the bullpen along with Kutter Crawford for a potential playoff push. That gives the Red Sox a potential pitching staff of Brayan Bello, Paxton, Sale, Whitlock, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, Nick Pivetta, Josh Winckowski and Joely Rodriguez is pretty solid. Does Hill have what it takes to find his way into that group?

If made, this move would be a lateral one.

Verdict: There’s no reason not to check on Hill, with the potential of Pittsburgh doing him a solid very much on the table.

Prediction: The Pirates will trade Hill, just not to Boston. The veteran will end up somewhere out west in a bullpen role.