Last season, Tim Hill found considerable success with the New York Yankees. Hill is reportedly headed back to the Yankees, on a one-year deal that addresses a key hole for the team heading into Spring Training: a reliable left-handed arm out of the bullpen.
A Look at Hill
The White Sox signed reliever Tim Hill last winter, after Hill was non-tendered by the Padres in November 2023. Hill dealt with a finger sprain in 2023 and struggled over the second half of that season. But, the veteran reliever was poised to get a lot of work with a rebuilding Chicago team.
Things with the White Sox didn’t go well, at least on the periphery. Hill conceded 41 hits over 23 innings with Chicago, owning a 5.87 ERA and 2.22 WHIP. The White Sox DFA’d him in June 2022.
The Yankees signed him two days after he was released. Hill, with a better defense behind him — one that included a Gold Glover in Anthony Volpe and a rangy infielder in Jazz Chisholm Jr. — did much better in The Bronx. The 34-year-old posted a 69% GB% in 2024 with the Yanks, a 2.05 ERA, and just 36 hits over 44 frames.
Hill is one of the most unique relievers in all of baseball. A submarine pitcher with a mean arm angle of -20°, Hill nets very few whiffs, instead looking for ground balls with a high-80s sinker with well-below-average sink (13.4” mean above-average), The sinker was his most-used pitch by a wide margin (68.7%).
It was a departure from norms, as Hill largely split the usage between it and a four-seamer with slightly more velocity.
Hill’s arm slot creates deception, and he can further throw off hitters with a slider that he used 5%. It’s not a plus moving pitch. But, can throw hitters off optically looking for the fastball.
Per ESPN, the Yankees will re-sign Tim Hill to a one-year deal worth $2.85MM.
Analysis
A left-handed reliever was a must for the Yankees, given that the defending AL champions only had two lefties on the roster. Both are starters: Max Fried and Carlos Rodon.
Yes, the Yankees do have right-handers who can get left-handed bats out. Luke Weaver‘s changeup is great against opposite-sided hitters. And speaking of changeups, the Yankees added arguably the best changeup in the game, with Devin Williams coming over from Milwaukee.
Fernando Cruz, also added in December, has a plus splitter but generally doesn’t do well against left-handed hitters.
Still, having a left-handed reliever is critical, just for the simple purpose of making it difficult for bats to pick up the release point above the shoulder. And given Hill’s arm slot, that can be tough to do.
The lefty found considerable success with a Yankees defense that had its holes but also had speed and range. With Jazz Chisholm Jr. — at least for now, given what Aaron Boone hinted in January — headed back to second base, that makes for a good middle-infield combo with Volpe that can track down ground-balls.
Which, should help Hill get outs, something that was a problem with the White Sox.
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Hill is the second notable left-handed reliever to come off the free-agent board on February 4. The Twins brought back Danny Coulombe on a one-year deal.