The Purple Sox and Wealthy Hill are near finalizing a minor league contract, studies Rob Bradford of WEEI (X hyperlink). It’d be his fourth separate stint in Boston if he will get to the massive leagues by the top of the season. Together with minor league offers, it’ll be his eighth contract with the group.
These have spanned a number of entrance places of work going way back to 2010. Hill is a Boston-area native who’s clearly comfy with the group. Staying near house is interesting. Hill waited to signal till this late within the season largely so he may coach his son’s Little League crew in Milton, Massachusetts this spring.
Whereas he received’t step straight onto the Sox roster, Hill may make a couple of appearances with Triple-A Worcester to get into sport form. It’d be a shock if the Purple Sox don’t name him up in some unspecified time in the future earlier than season’s finish. Hill reportedly drew consideration from the Yankees, Dodgers and Twins, amongst others, throughout his current throwing periods.
Boston is a smart match past the geographical connection. The Purple Sox went into deadline season with questions on their rotation depth. They introduced in James Paxton in a commerce with the Dodgers. He solely made it by three begins earlier than struggling a partially torn proper calf that’ll most likely finish his season. That briefly left the Sox with a four-man rotation of Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Nick Pivetta and Tanner Houck. The Sox are planning to reinstate Cooper Criswell from the virus-related injured listing to begin tomorrow in opposition to the Orioles. He’s prone to step into the fifth starter function, however he’d been working in aid for a pair weeks earlier than occurring the shelf. The Purple Sox could need to preserve a detailed eye on his pitch counts.
From the beginning of the season, the Sox’s rotation depth has been certainly one of their largest questions. They misplaced Lucas Giolito earlier than the yr began. Garrett Whitlock went down in April with an indirect subject. He damage his elbow whereas constructing again up and underwent season-ending surgical procedure. Houck, Crawford, Pivetta and Criswell all stepped up because the Sox had a surprisingly sturdy rotation for the primary few months. They’ve had a a lot more durable time of late.
Purple Sox starters have a 5.28 earned run common for the reason that All-Star Break, a greater mark solely than that of the Angels, White Sox, Rockies and Rangers. Crawford and Pivetta have gotten battered by the house run ball. Houck’s strikeout charge has fallen off a cliff as he’s gotten to a career-high workload. Solely Bello has maintained or improved upon his early-season manufacturing.
Hill isn’t going to single-handedly salvage the group. The 44-year-old southpaw turned in stable back-of-the-results from 2021-22. He had a more durable time final yr, permitting a 5.41 ERA by 146 1/3 innings. A lot of that got here in a dismal 10 outings for the Padres after they acquired him on the deadline. Hill had a extra cheap 4.76 ERA in 22 begins for the Pirates earlier than the commerce. The Sox will hope they get one thing nearer to final yr’s first half model with out Hill needing to work a full season. If he will get to the majors, he may doubtlessly work as a tandem starter with Criswell or push the righty again right into a multi-inning aid capability.
It has been an atypical state of affairs. Hill has floated the potential for a late-season signing for a couple of years however hadn’t dedicated to it till final offseason. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo writes that the 19-year veteran declined main league gives from Texas, Pittsburgh and Oakland over the winter. Past the household issues, he pointed to the chance to make sure he was becoming a member of a crew that had an opportunity to compete for a playoff place. Boston is 2.5 video games behind the Royals for the American League’s last Wild Card spot with six weeks to play.
Hill could be eligible for postseason play if the Sox qualify (assuming the contract is finalized shortly). That’s true no matter whether or not he’s on the MLB roster by the top of the month. A participant solely must be within the group in the beginning of September — not on the 40-man roster — to be eligible for the playoffs. The league workplace routinely permits gamers who have been on minor league offers in the beginning of September to qualify for the playoffs as substitutes for one more injured participant.
Picture courtesy of USA Right this moment.
