The Red Sox look like they're gearing up to take a chance on another old timer. After making a deal with the Dodgers to get James Paxton back in Boston, he lasted all of three starts and 11 innings before collapsing on the mound and being diagnosed with a partially torn calf muscle, which basically guarantees his absence through the rest of 2024.
Paxton is 35 and has battled multiple injuries through this latter half of his career, but the Red Sox are reportedly turning to a pitcher a decade older who hasn't pitched competitively since October 2023 and has been a member of 13 different organizations.
Rich Hill has pitched 185 major league innings for the Red Sox over five years, first from 2010-2012, again in 2015, and again in 2022. The Padres placed him on waivers in mid-September last year, but he went unclaimed and stayed in San Diego until he hit free agency at the end of the year.
In the offseason, he made his desire to pitch in the majors again clear but stayed away from actively seeking another contract until the later months of the season in order to coach his son's Little League team.
Now, he's coming back. Hill and the Red Sox are reportedly finalizing what'll be Hill's eighth professional contract with the team.
Rich Hill is back: the 44-year-old is reportedly finalizing what'll be his eighth contract with #RedSoxhttps://t.co/2rrIEUVhe5 pic.twitter.com/wsMYprg8A2
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) August 16, 2024
Red Sox reportedly finalizing minor league deal with veteran Rich Hill
Hill drew interest from the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, and Twins during throwing sessions ahead of his return, but he was born and raised in Milton, MA, likely wanted to stay close to home, and has also spent more time with the Red Sox organization than any of the other 12 teams he's been a member of over a 19-year career.
It's just a minor league deal, so there's no guarantee that the Sox promote him before the end of the season, but with Paxton out for the rest of the year, it'd be surprising if they didn't. His function is likely to be innings-eater; he managed to pitch 146 1/3 innings last year with the Pirates and Padres (good for a 5.41 ERA), though San Diego did kick him back to the bullpen for his last few appearances.
The AL postseason picture is looking very dicey, with the Yankees and Orioles currently in a dead tie for the No. 2 seed. The Sox are 2.5 games back of the Royals and are having a marginally worse first half of August (Boston is 6-7, Kansas City is 6-6), but maybe Hill will finally be able to come through for his hometown team and help them make that final push for a Wild Card spot.