Red Sox Select Yankees Pitcher As Winner Of Prestigious Award
The lefty has overcome a lot
The Boston Red Sox put aside their bitter rivalry with the New York Yankees for a good cause on Tuesday.
The team announced that Yankees relief pitcher Tim Hill was the winner of the 2025 Tony Conigliaro Award.
The honor (which has been awarded annually since 1990) recognizes a “Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C,” according to a press release.
The Red Sox’s 1967 All-Star outfielder for which the award is named had his MLB career cut short after being hit in the face by a pitch and missed the entire 1968 season as a result.
“Tony C” passed away in 1990 at the age of 45.
According to the release, voting for the award was conducted by a “13-person committee comprised of Red Sox officials, Major League Baseball executives, media members, and a representative of the Conigliaro family.”
The Kansas City Royals selected Hill in the 32nd round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft and the lefty was diagnosed with colon cancer during spring training in 2015.
Per the release, Hill “endured surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to overcome the disease after his five-year survival rate was projected at 65-75 percent.”
The California native underwent chemotherapy for eight months before he was declared cancer-free in 2016.
Hill made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Royals and later pitched for the San Diego Padres (2020-2023) and Chicago White Sox (2024) before signing with New York in June 2024.
He finished the 2025 campaign with a team-leading 70 appearances while going 4-4 with a 3.09 ERA across 67 innings pitched.
“I am humbled and grateful to be recognized as this year’s recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award,” Hill said, according to the release. “Tony’s story is one of determination and resilience, two qualities I have always admired. One thing I’ve learned is that a little inspiration along with determination can go a long way. This award itself is a reminder that setbacks don’t have to define you. I’d like to thank the committee and the Conigliaro family for this award and for continuing to honor Tony’s legacy.”
There have been four previous winners to earn the award while playing with the Red Sox: Bret Saberhagen (1998), Jon Lester (2007), John Lackey (2013) and Cam Booser (2024).
