Talk about a full-circle moment. The Kansas City Royals have scheduled 45-year-old Rich Hill to make his season debut Tuesday, July 22.
Hill will start against the Chicago Cubs, the team he made his major league debut with 20 seasons ago. The left-hander, who has been in the Royals’ minor league system since they signed him in May, is the epitome of a veteran lefty.
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Why is Hill’s call-up historic?
His call-up means he’ll pitch for a record-tying 14th MLB team, joining fellow pitcher Edwin Jackson for the most all-time.
The list of teams Hill has played for goes like this: The Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox (on four separate occasions), Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres and now the Kansas City Royals.
The most successful stretch of Hill’s career came with the Los Angeles Dodgers between 2016 and 2019, where he won 30 games, exactly a third of his 90 total career wins. Hill also made 11 postseason starts for the Dodgers, three of them in the World Series.
What are the Royals hoping to get from Hill?
The Royals have been impressed with Hill’s progress during his nine starts at Triple-A Omaha. His 5.36 ERA doesn’t scream success, especially in Triple-A. But Hill had 10 strikeouts versus the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday, July 13. That performance made Hill the first 45-year-old to record double-digit strikeouts in a professional game since Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan did it in 1992.
“He’s done well,” Royals Manager Matt Quatraro told reporters Monday night, July 21. “He’s had a couple of ups and downs, performance-wise. But when he’s been locating, he’s been really good.”
Hill is now the oldest active player in the majors, taking the mantle from 42-year-old pitcher Justin Verlander. He’s also the first pitcher, 45 or older, to appear in a game since Bartolo Colón in 2018.
Why call up Hill now?
In this era of flame-throwing pitchers who blow hitters away with 100 mph fastballs, Hill is the crafty lefty who still gets outs by changing speeds, movement and inducing contact. With the MLB trade deadline approaching next week, Hill’s arrival comes at an important time. The Royals are in third place in the American League Central, one game behind the Cleveland Guardians. They would like to make a move soon.
“He throws a ton of strikes,” Quatraro said. “He’s very athletic and keeps himself in great shape. He can move around the mound well. He can change arm angles. So, everything that he’s always done, he’s still capable of doing it.”
Hill replaces Michael Lorenzen in the Royals rotation. Lorenzen is on the 15-day DL with an oblique strain.
