*Photo from WJON*
The Tampa Bay Rays are upgrading their starting rotation with an old, but proven commodity. The Rays have signed LHP Rich Hill to a one year, $2.5 million deal, according to Robert Murray of Fansided. Hill will likely slot into the middle of the Rays rotation, behind Tyler Glasnow and potentially Ryan Yarbrough. The Rays have confirmed the deal.
Hill spent the Pandemic shortened 2020 season in the Minnesota Twins rotation, pitching to a 2-2 record with a 3.03 ERA, striking out 31 hitters in 38 2/3 innings pitched in 8 starts for the Twins. In his long, 16 season major league career, Hill has a 67-44 record with a 3.79 ERA, throwing 976 innings in 292 appearances, 164 of them being starts.
Rays GM Erik Neander said of bringing in Hill that "He has been a quality, impactful pitcher when he's taken the ball the last several years. And that's something that we expect to continue. He's an A-plus competitor. He’s a winner. He's been on winning clubs and in winning atmospheres and has played a huge part in that."
Hill has proven to be an effective pitcher when healthy, but has dealt with his share of injury problems over his career. He has spent time on the IL for blisters, along with knee, forearm, and shoulder injuries. He also underwent left elbow surgery to repair a partial tear of his UCL last offseason. But when he is healthy, his fastball-curveball combination has been an effective approach for Hill on the mound.
Neander talked about veteran influence on the team, saying that "We've talked about that as something that is important to our group with all the young, impressionable talent that we have, to have the right veterans providing the appropriate and ideal examples for those younger players, so that's an impact that lasts well beyond the time that any of these guys end up spending with their clubs."
Hill will slot into a Rays rotation that includes Glasnow, Yarbrough, Michael Wacha, and Chris Archer, with other returning guys also in the mix.
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