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Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Rich Hill Ties MLB Record Pitching For 14th Team At Age 45
Rich Hill pitched for his 14th club, on the same mound as his MLB debut, at age 45. (Photo by Rob ... More Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Rich Hill took the mound for the Kansas City Royals last night. Yes, that Rich Hill. The Rich Hill who was selected in the 36th round of last draft of last century. The Milton, Massachusetts native who has played for the Boston Red Sox on no less than four different occasions (but signed with them five times). The lefty who, after his career took a downturn in 2015, elected to play indie ball for the Long Island Ducks. Hill's first four big league seasons were on the North Side of Chicago, where he pitched reasonably well for the Cubs (18-17, 4.37 ERA, 4.57 FIP, 106 ERA+). He was then traded to the Baltimore Orioles, where he pitched one injury-marred season. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for 2010, but opted out of his deal at the end of June to sign (for the first time) with the Red Sox. After 2½ years in Boston, Hill signed with Cleveland, where he pitched one mediocre season. He then signed a minor league deal with Boston (Take #2), but never pitched with the big club before being traded to the Angels in July. He pitched in both ends of a doubleheader for the Halos, facing four batters, giving up a hit, walking three, and adding a wild pitch for good measure. He was released within the week. Hill then signed with the New York Yankees, where he lasted a touch longer – just over three weeks – before being designated for assignment. But the Yankees brought him back when rosters expanded in September, and he pitched in eight games, giving up only one earned run, striking out seven against a single walk. Prior to the 2015 season, Hill signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. When he did not make the major league team by June, he opted out of his contract. And that is when he decided to retreat and regroup. After looking for work for a month (no takers), Hill elected to sign with the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks. He pitched two great games for the New York-based team, whereupon the Red Sox brought him back for a third time. Hill made five minor league starts in Pawtucket before the Red Sox had him come north to Boston. He started four games, going 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA, while striking out 36 strikeouts and walking only five. The next year (2016) he signed with the (then) Oakland Athletics and started Opening Day. In all, he made 20 starts for the A's, compiled a 12-5 record, had a 2.12 ERA, and struck out four times as many batters as he walked. On August 1st, Hill was traded (along with Josh Reddick) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started six regular season games for Los Angeles, going 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA. He also made three post-season appearances, including Game 2 of the NLCS that the Dodgers ultimately lost to the eventual World Series champion Cubs. Five weeks after the World Series, the Dodgers signed Hill to a three-year, $48 million contract. After all that career turmoil, this was Hill's first multi-year deal. In his first full season with the Dodgers, Hill made twice as much money as he had in his entire career to that point. When Hill's contract with the Dodgers expired, he signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins for the Covid-shortened 2020 season. In 2021, he signed another one-year deal – this time with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays traded Hill to the Mets at the deadline, and he made 12 starts for his third New York team (Yankees, Mets, and Ducks!). When that season ended, Hill went home again, signing with the Red Sox for the fourth time. After another year in Boston, Hill signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2023. True to form, the Pirates dumped Hill's (massive?) contract, trading him to the San Diego Padres at the deadline. San Diego waived him by mid-September. Hill then decided to take off the first half of 2024. Instead of pitching in the big leagues, he elected to coach his son Brice's 12-year-old Little League team in his hometown of Milton. Hill had three major league offers in the off-season, but decided his son's final year of rec-league ball was more important than playing professional baseball. (Rich and his wife, Caitlin, lost a second son, Brooks, to lissencephaly and congenital nephrotic syndrome, when he was just two months old.) On August 18th of last year, Hill signed with the BoSox for the fifth time, making four appearances and throwing 3-2/3 innings. He was released on September 9th. In May, Hill signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals, and has been playing for their Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. His deal, like the one he signed with Washington ten years earlier, gave him the right to opt out if he was not on the big league roster by June 15th. When he was 35 years old, he exercised that right; now, at age 45, he stuck with the club. And his perspicacity was rewarded on Tuesday night. In a full-circle moment, Hill took the mound at Wrigley Field, the site of his first major league appearance, a mere 20 years ago. He threw 90 pitches over five strong innings, ceding six hits and only one earned run. Unfortunately, Hill took the loss for the Royals. There is no word yet on when (or if) his next start will be. By pitching with the Royals, Hill tied the MLB record (with Edwin Jackson) by playing for his 14th franchise. He became just the 18th pitcher start a game at age 45 or older (Jamie Moyer last did it back in 2012). To put all this in perspective, Hill made that first appearance at Wrigley Field in a game that Greg Maddux started. Maddux was inducted into the Hall of Fame eleven years ago. But looking back to 2005 is so 21st century. Christopher Kamka of Marquee Sports Network decided to give Hill's career even more (19th century) historical context:
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Venus Williams and Rich Hill are making 45 the new 20
Move over LeBron James. You're no longer the old head on the sports block. No sir. That title is going back to two athletes who probably owned it before their recent breaks that could've been mistaken for retirements had they not returned Tuesday like they never left. If James gets a sudden inspiration to go another five years, we now know who to blame. It's Venus Williams and Rich Hill. Williams, one of the all-time great tennis players, participated in the DC Open for her first professional match in over a year, and the 45-year-old wasn't just there to play, she was there to compete. Williams defeated world No. 35 Peyton Stearns for her first win since August 2023. VENUS' BEAU: Meet Williams' fiancé Andrea Preti On the same day Williams turned back the clock, Hill made his return to the majors after 11 months away, taking the mound for his 14th different team (the Kansas City Royals), which tied an MLB record. But unlike his four relief appearances last season, Hill actually opened the game Tuesday, marking his first start in two years. And he was also good! Hill only allowed three runs and one earned run over five innings and 90 pitches. KC didn't get the win, but it was the most innings he's pitched since... August 2023. Look, 45 isn't really old in the grand scheme of life, but in sports, it's ancient. Hill made his MLB debut in 2005... 20 years ago! And by that point Williams was already a four-time Grand Slam champion going on No. 5 that same summer. They've been at this a really long time. It's worth appreciating that these athletes are still competing at all, let alone competing at a high level. Things like this make it easier to understand why someone like LeBron, who hasn't suffered nearly the same decline as other athletes in their 40s, might want to hang around a little longer. Longevity like this is rare. Mike Locksley goes deep on NIL troubles The difficulties of coaching college athletes in the NIL era have been apparent from the start, but I haven't heard many coaches detail those struggles quite like Maryland coach Mike Locksley did Tuesday at Big Ten media days. Locksley went so far as to say he lost his locker room over having to decide which players to pay. Locksley to ESPN: "And this is Coach Locks, the locker room king, telling you this landscape, I had to choose between paying young players who were coming in or reward the older players that have been through the fire, three bowl wins, and I tried to do both with limited resources. And that's what you get: a locker room with the haves and have-nots." That's really interesting stuff. DON'T TAP THE GLASS With Tyler, the Creator's surprise release of DON'T TAP THE GLASS on Monday, FTW's Cory Woodroof ranked all nine albums in the rapper's discography. And while I won't tell you where the latest offering falls in the list, here's a snippet of what Cory had to say about it: "However, Don't Tap the Glass only comes from an artist at the absolute peak of their power. Okonma wrote that he wanted the album to help people loosen up a bit in a culture where we hold ourselves back from having fun at risk of being judged. Don't Tap the Glass isn't meant to be dissected as much as it's meant to be danced to, and the production is as free and innovative as Okonma has been in his career so far without sacrificing his sonic hallmarks." As promising as that sounds, DON'T TAP THE GLASS had some stiff competition to reach the top. Quick Hits: RIP Ozzy Osbourne ... Saints retirements ... and more Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow. This was For The Win's daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here.
Fox News
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Royals' Rich Hill, on 14th team, becomes oldest active player in MLB
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Rich Hill tied an MLB record during the team's 6-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Hill, 45, made his Royals' debut in the loss and tied reliever Edwin Jackson for having played for his 14th different team in his MLB career. Hill's return to the major leagues also made him the oldest active player in the sport. The left-handed starting pitcher pitched five innings and yielded six hits and three runs (two unearned) with two walks and a strikeout. "He battled his butt off out there," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said postgame. "It was tough work out there early." "He had a couple of walks in there, but he made a lot of competitive pitches. Some of them didn't go his way, but we didn't play tight enough behind him to keep it where it was. Otherwise, he's probably looking at one, maybe no runs." Hill had a grueling second inning, as he threw 31 of his 90 pitches in that frame as his defense betrayed him. He gave up two unearned runs that inning. "You know, the second inning was a little bit of a grind to get through," Hill said. "But overall, I felt like the ball came out of my hand pretty much the way I wanted to." With the start, Hill's 21st season in the big leagues is underway. He became the oldest player to start in a game since Jamie Moyer did at 49 years old with the Colorado Rockies on May 27, 2012. At 45 years and 133 days, Hill became the oldest player in Royals history, passing Hall of Fame right-hander Gaylord Perry, who appeared in two games with the Royals in 1983 after he turned 45. Hill was called up from Triple-A to join the rotation for Michael Lorenzen, who didn't pitch due to an oblique strain. Quatraro did not say when Hill would pitch next, but the 6-foot-5 lefty wants to pitch again. "It's easy to say that you love it, but when you know you have more to give, it's tough to walk away," Hill said. In his 21-year career, Hill has played for the Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, the then-Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, the then-Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and the Royals. The Royals (49-53) will take on the Cubs (60-41) in the final game of their three-game series on Wednesday at 2:20 p.m. ET.
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Behind Matt Shaw, Cubs chase series win vs. Royals
July 23 - The All-Star break provided a welcome respite for Chicago Cubs rookie third baseman Matt Shaw, who is eager to leave his first-half struggles behind. Shaw looks to maintain his recent surge when the Cubs face the visiting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series. The Cubs are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers atop the National League Central, while the Royals are 4 1/2 games back of the final wild-card spot in the American League. Kansas City recorded a season-high run total in Monday's 12-4 win before being shut out for the 11th time on Tuesday. The Royals were stymied by Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, who pitched seven scoreless innings in the Cubs' 6-0 victory. Chicago center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong returned after missing one game with a bruised right knee and went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Shaw contributed two hits and an RBI and has hit safely in all five games since the All-Star break, batting .533 (8-for-15) with two home runs and five RBIs during the stretch. Despite Shaw's encouraging play over the past week, his disappointing batting average (.221) has led many to believe that Chicago could be shopping for a third baseman ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. For his part, Shaw said he is bringing a fresh perspective to the game following the All-Star break. "I think getting some time off was really important," Shaw said. "That was nice. Just kind of reassessing the first half and kind of realizing some of my motivations in the game allowed me to feel a little more comfortable in the box." Chicago will send right-hander Colin Rea (8-3, 3.80 ERA) to the mound in the series finale. He won his fourth straight start last Friday in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Rea, 35, gave up one run over five frames in the outing and has allowed a total of five runs across 23 2/3 innings over his last four starts. Jonathan India is 2-for-10 (.200) with a home run against Rea, who has a 7.71 ERA in three career games (two starts) versus Kansas City. The Royals will counter with right-hander Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.94), who allowed a season-high five runs in six innings and received a no-decision against the Miami Marlins last Friday. Lugo, 35, has posted a 3.93 ERA in three outings this month after going 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in five outings in June. Dansby Swanson is 2-for-18 (.111) against Lugo, who is 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA in 14 career games (four starts) versus the Cubs. The Royals are hoping to bounce back after being held to six singles in Tuesday's loss, including one by catcher Salvador Perez. Perez, 35, is batting .359 with eight home runs and 17 RBIs in his last 17 games. "It's a long season, just trying to make adjustments," Perez said. "My first half was a little slow, and I just kept working, talking to my hitting coach. I try to do my best every time I step out to home plate and help my team to win." --Field Level Media
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cubs and Royals play to determine series winner
Kansas City Royals (49-53, fourth in the AL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (60-41, first in the NL Central) Chicago; Wednesday, 2:20 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.94 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 93 strikeouts); Cubs: Colin Rea (8-3, 3.80 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 70 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cubs -147, Royals +123; over/under is 10 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals play on Wednesday with the winner claiming the three-game series. Chicago has a 60-41 record overall and a 33-18 record at home. The Cubs have the sixth-ranked team ERA in the NL at 3.83. Kansas City has a 25-27 record in road games and a 49-53 record overall. The Royals are 36-11 in games when they out-hit their opponents. Wednesday's game is the third time these teams match up this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Tucker has 19 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 57 RBIs for the Cubs. Carson Kelly is 12 for 35 with three doubles, three home runs and five RBIs over the past 10 games. Maikel Garcia has a .291 batting average to lead the Royals, and has 26 doubles, three triples and eight home runs. Salvador Perez is 14 for 36 with six home runs and eight RBIs over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 6-4, .248 batting average, 3.78 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs Royals: 5-5, .252 batting average, 3.78 ERA, outscored by two runs INJURIES: Cubs: Porter Hodge: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Jameson Taillon: 15-Day IL (calf), Miguel Amaya: 10-Day IL (oblique), Eli Morgan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Javier Assad: 60-Day IL (oblique), Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow) Royals: Michael Lorenzen: 15-Day IL (oblique), Cole Ragans: 60-Day IL (rotator cuff), Mark Canha: 10-Day IL (elbow), Daniel Lynch: 15-Day IL (elbow), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL (ankle), Hunter Harvey: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
