The White Sox have made some modifications to their roster to this point, and now Chicago has added another arm for next season. Veteran lefty Tim Hill is headed to the White Sox on a one-year deal. Here’s a closer look at Tim Hill, plus what the White Sox bullpen could look like come Opening Day 2024.
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A Look at Hill
New White Sox left-hander Tim Hill had a tough 2023 campaign, as he battled a left ring finger sprain in the summer and got hit hard in his abbreviated second half. Across 5.2 IP innings after the All-Star break, Hill gave up 19 hits and 11 earned runs over 5.2 IP.
That put a damper on what was a strong run for Hill, one that saw the 33-year-old be one of the better lefty middle relievers in the game from 2021-23.
Hill posted sub-4.00 ERA numbers in 2021 and 2022 and was exceptional at limiting hard contact. That’s thanks to a very deceptive delivery and a good sinker that gets ground balls.
The 33-year-old throws from a very low arm slot. Couple that with good extension, and it’s made his four-seam fastball — which sits in the low-90s — play up and can be very difficult for opposing hitters to pick up in the zone, simply because it has that rising effect.
Then, there’s that aforementioned sinker. Hill will often run that sinker in with success, as he can throw for it for strikes and get weak contact. That pitch has helped him record above-average Topped% rates in each of the past three years.
One could figure that Hill will likely shoulder some of the load left behind by Aaron Bummer, who was traded to the Braves earlier in the winter. Per the team, Chicago signed Hill to a one-year deal worth $1.8MM.
Analysis
The addition of Hill gives the White Sox some much-needed depth in their tentative 2024 bullpen. With Hill in tow, here’s a look at what the White Sox could do with their pen next season:
- LHP Tanner Banks
- LHP Garrett Crochet
- LHP Shane Drohan
- LHP Tim Hill
- RHP Jimmy Lambert
- RHP Lane Ramsey
- RHP Gregory Santos
- RHP Alex Speas
Right-hander Matt Foster could be an option at some point in the spring. Foster underwent Tommy John surgery this past April.
This group could change between now and the start of the regular season, as the Sox could add another arm or move one of their 2023 starters — Touki Toussaint or Michael Kopech are options — to the bullpen.
There are some intriguing arms here, including Rule 5 draft pick Shane Drohan and flamethrower Garrett Crochet. Crochet could be the Sox’s primary set-up man, even though it wasn’t an impressive season for him. He struck out 12 over 12.1 IP but struggled with command and spent time on the IL again.
After emerging as a reliable reliever in 2023, Gregory Santos seems poised to take the reigns as the White Sox’s closer in 2024. The right-hander boasts a hard sinker/slider combo and posted an impressive 132 ERA+ and 66 strikeouts over 66.1 IP.