Tim Hill has signed a one-year, $2.85 million contract with the New York Yankees. Hill is a veteran left-handed late-inning reliever who was effective in the 2024 season for the Yankees. The 34-year-old has a career ERA of 3.99 with 239 strikeouts. Hill has also played for the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox. What makes Hill a valuable and effective reliever is his unique pitching stance. While his pitching delivery may seem out of fashion it is massively effective. His fastball and slider dominate against left-handed batters. His slider is particularly effective against lefties due to the low arm slot delivery that makes hitters hesitate with the location of the pitch. Hill also held left-handed hitters to slash just .187/.225/.227 against him. Hill will provide late-inning relief for the Yankees.
Left-handed reliever Tim Hill and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a one-year, $2.85 million contract that includes a club option for 2026, sources tell ESPN. Hill, 34, had a 2.05 ERA in 44 innings for New York last year. Option is for $3 million with $350K buyout.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 4, 2025
Yankees and Tim Hill Reunite
Hill will be entering his seventh season in MLB as a valuable reliever for New York. Aside from his unique arm slot, he has an eccentric release point. His unique release point provides him with leverage compared to other relievers. This makes him one of the most versatile and prominent left-handed veterans in the bullpen in MLB, having recorded 31 strikeouts in the regular season. In addition, Hill owns one of the lowest release points in MLB, around 3.1 feet. The California-born reliever is a groundball pitcher who generates groundballs effectively at 69.9 % of them in play. Hill also produces a ton of movement with his pitches that provided success in the Yankees bullpen, particularly in the 2024 postseason. He provided the Yankees with quality and shutdown innings that made him entertaining to watch. In the postseason for the Yankees last season, he sported an ERA of 1.08 with three strikeouts across 10 appearances. Hill was a secret weapon in the bullpen and is looking to continue to shine in 2025 with the Yankees.
Main Photo Credits: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
