Red Sox sign Rich Hill to 1-year deal reportedly worth $5M
Rich Hill is heading back home.
The Boston Red Sox have signed the 41-year-old left-hander to a one-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.
It's a $5-million deal that also includes up to $3 million in incentives based on innings pitched, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
"One of the best competitors in our game. It seems like he doesn't age," Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
This is Hill's third stint with the Red Sox. A native of Boston who grew up in Milton, Massachusetts, he pitched for them from 2010-12 and again in 2015. His most recent tenure with the club lasted just four starts, but it marked the revival of his big-league career at age 35 following a slew of injuries that forced him to play in independent leagues.
This is Rich Hill's 7th free-agent deal with the Red Sox... pic.twitter.com/k4uIobI6IX
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) December 2, 2021
Hill split last season between the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets and was a consistent starter for both teams. He posted a 3.86 ERA, 4.34 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP with 150 strikeouts across 158 2/3 innings.
He'll slot into the back end of Boston's rotation behind Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Sale. Boston signed two other potential starters this week in right-hander Michael Wacha and lefty James Paxton.
"We wanted to add depth to our pitching staff. Rich can do a lot of different things." -- Bloom, on Hill.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) December 2, 2021
Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2002, Hill owns a career 3.80 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 1,185 strikeouts across parts of 17 big-league seasons with 11 teams.