Tim Hill

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Note: This page is for 2010s pitcher Tim Hill; for others with a similar name, click here.

Timothy James Hill

BR page

Biographical Information[edit]

Tim Hill was a 32nd-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 amateur draft. Obviously a long shot to make it to the majors, he beat the odds by making the Royals' roster out of spring training in 2018 after three minor league seasons, while missing all of 2015 with an injury. The Royals used him exclusively as a reliever in the minors, training him for a future role as a major league LOOGY, taking advantage of his submarine delivery, as after picking up 8 saves with the Lexington Legends in the South Atlantic League in 2014, he had very few decisions the following two seasons.

After making the Royals' opening day roster in 2018, he stayed with the team all season, making 70 appearances and going 1-4, 4.53 with 2 saves while pitching just 45 2/3 innings. In 2019, he spent time at AAA for the first time (he had made the Royals straight from AA the year before) and pitched well for the Omaha Storm Chasers, going 1-1, 2.12 with 3 saves in 22 outings. With Kansas City, he made another 46 appearances out of the bullpen and was also solid, with a record of 2-0, 3.63 and 1 save. He pitched for slightly longer stints than in his rookie year, as he totaled 39 2/3 innings in his 46 games, as the Royals were preparing him for the day when one-batter appearances would no longer be allowed in the majors.

On July 16, 2020, he was traded to the San Diego Padres as part of the first trade of players following the long lay-off caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Padres sent OF Franchy Cordero and P Ronald Bolanos to the Royals to obtain his services. They needed a lefthanded reliever after learning that their own specialist, Jose Castillo, would be unavailable for much of the season due to a strained lat muscle. He went 3-0, 4.50 in 23 games that first year, and played in the postseason for the first time, giving up one unearned run in 2 1/3 innings spread out over three outings. In 2021, he was 6-6, 3.62 in 78 games, pitching 59 1/3 innings, and in 2022 went 3-0, 3.56 in 55 games. He was a key bullpen member all three years, and in 2022 returned to the postseason as San Diego made it to the NLCS. he was credited with a win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the Division series on October 15th, confirming the Padres' upset win over their traditional rivals, and overall did not give up a run in 2 2/3 innings that postseason.

In 2023, he had an off-season as the team disappointed, going 1-4, 5.48 in 48 games. His hit rate climbed significantly, to 59 in 44 1/3 innings, with just 26 strikeouts. Given he was 33 that season, the Padres figured there was a high chance that he would not bounce back to his previous level of performance, and allowed him to become a free agent after the season. On December 28th, the Chicago White Sox, who had traded most of their veteran pitchers during the previous season, decided to add him on a one-year deal worth $1.8 million.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Henry Palattella and Scott Merkin: "White Sox add reliever Hill on one-year deal", mlb.com, December 28, 2023. [1]

Related Sites[edit]

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