Beginners Fried Max again Carlos Rodon they are the only left-handed hitters on the Yankees’ 40-man roster, leaving the Bronx Bombers in need of southpaw depth for the bullpen. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the team is considering several options to help the lefty, including a possible merger Tim Hill.
After posting a 5.87 ERA in 23 innings with the White Sox, Hill was released by Chicago in June and quickly picked up by the Yankees for a new contract. The change in position has done wonders for Hill in terms of bottom-line results, as he posted a 2.05 ERA in 44 frames with New York during the regular season and a paltry 1.08 ERA over 10 appearances and 8 1/2 innings. 3 in the playoffs. .
Hill’s status as an extreme groundball hitter can lead to such a large change in performance, as one often looks behind the ERA to fully measure the lefty’s performance. Hill had a whopping .436 BABIP with the White Sox and a .238 BABIP with the Yankees, perhaps explaining why the gap in SIERA (3.33 with New York, 4.04 with Chicago) isn’t as large as the -Hill’s ERA would suggest. The biggest change was improved control, as Hill had an 8.5% walk rate with the Sox and only a 5.2% walk rate in the Bronx.
Now entering his age 35 season, Hill has a 3.99 ERA over 322 1/3 career innings in seven MLB seasons, with a career-low 61.8% strikeout rate to help offset only a 17.3% strikeout rate. . Those numbers naturally include more success against left-handed hitters, as Hill held hitters to one side to a .614 OPS (while right-handed hitters had a .788 OPS). The home run ball has been a problem for Hill in the past, though he allowed just two more than his 75 1/3 frames in the regular season and the 2024 postseason.
Almost a year ago Hill signed a one-year, $1.8MM contract with the White Sox, on the heels of being non-tendered by the Padres. His late-season success with the Yankees likely means Hill will get another guaranteed contract this winter, though his age and somewhat controversial record will limit him to a one-year deal. This limited price tag is certainly a plus for a Yankees team that is already expected to be above the luxury tax penalty. From Hill’s perspective, one would think he would be interested in returning to the Yankees given his post-trade success, and getting another chance to win a World Series ring.
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