With only a couple of weeks remaining before spring training begins, the New York Yankees still haven’t added a left-handed reliever to their 40-man roster.
Addressing this need should have been a priority this offseason, and one of the most viable options available is Tim Hill, who played a key role in the Yankees’ bullpen during the 2024 season. Hill is currently a free agent, and the Yankees should have already re-signed him.
Hill, 34, had a solid 2024 season after being released by the Chicago White Sox. His time in Chicago was challenging, with a 5.87 ERA over 23 innings, but once he joined the Yankees, his performance improved significantly. Under the guidance of Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake, Hill posted an impressive 2.05 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over 44 innings, becoming a trusted asset in high-leverage situations. In the postseason, Hill allowed just one earned run in 8.1 innings, further proving his reliability.
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, there is “mutual interest” between Hill and the Yankees in a potential deal. However, Hill’s success last season has attracted attention from other teams, including the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, and Los Angeles Angels, all of whom are also in the hunt for his services.
Hill’s ability to generate groundballs (68.1%) and avoid barrels (1.7%) made him a standout performer in 2024, and his skills align perfectly with Blake’s pitching philosophy. However, this newfound interest in Hill may force the Yankees to pay a higher price to retain him, or risk losing him to one of the other interested teams.
With spring training quickly approaching, the Yankees need to act fast and finalize a deal with Hill before pitchers and catchers report to Tampa. Delaying further could lead to them missing out on a reliever who has proven himself valuable to their bullpen.
