The New York Yankees went into the 2026 season with a clear weakness, their bullpen, since they lost much more than they gained. However, so far it looks better than it did last season, though not necessarily great (they currently rank 13th league-wide in reliever ERA). Their early successes are mostly thanks to a few key players carrying a large load in the bullpen, specifically Fernando Cruz, Brent Headrick, and Tim Hill. The always-reliable Hill in particular is having another superb season with the Yankees, surrendering just two earned runs in 11 innings of work for a 1.64 ERA. Additionally, he is the only Yankees pitcher who has yet to walk a batter this season.
Hill quickly became one of manager Aaron Boone’s most reliable arms out of the bullpen when the club picked him up in June of 2024. In his career with New York, he has a 2.58 ERA over 122 innings, as well as 59 strikeouts to go along with just 25 walks and one hit-by-pitch. Hill has truly become a master of control with the Yankees, but this season may be the 36-year-old’s most dominant yet.
Quick Learner
In the first six seasons of his career (from 2018-2023), Hill pitched 255 1/3 innings, posting a 4.16 ERA (101 ERA+) and was really nothing more than an average reliever with a funky windup. Fast forward to two years ago when he joined the Yankees, and now Hill is one of the most effective relievers in baseball, and that is no stretch. According to Baseball Savant, Hill’s 1.64 ERA isn’t just a fluke or lucky: his expected ERA of 2.18 is in the top 6% of all Major League pitchers thus far in 2026. Hill also has the highest ground ball rate in all of MLB at a staggering 78.8%.
The craziest part about Hill’s insane stats to begin the year is that he also ranks dead-last amongst qualified pitchers in terms of average fastball velocity (88.6 mph) and strikeout rate (10.8%). So, how does he get hitters out so effectively, especially in an age where pumping triple digits on the radar gun is becoming more and more popular?
One Pitch
Hill throws just three pitches, but his sinker is especially effective at generating weak contact. In fact, right now his sinker is tied for the ninth-most run value in MLB. For context, some of the other pitches that have a run value of 6 include Nathan Eovaldi’s splitter, Mason Miller’s slider, and Shohei Ohtani’s fastball. That’s pretty good company for a lefty whose fastball only tops out at a mere 90 mph.
Hill throws his sinker 77% of the time, yet hitters only whiff at it just 10% of the time. This mark is indicative of a growing number of Major League pitchers who are prioritizing pitching for weak contact, as opposed to throwing for velocity. Of course, there are those like Miller who absolutely rely on 100 mph fastballs for outs, but Hill proves that it isn’t the only effective method of getting outs in 2026.
Hill truly looks like a diamond in the rough when you compare his stats to those of his teammates. The Yankees’ rotation has been lights-out for the whole season so far, so the Yankees haven’t had their bullpen exposed just yet. Still, it’s comforting to have another old reliable like Hill at his best before summer even begins.
Main Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
