General manager Ben Cherington said a few days before Christmas that the Pirates hoped to add to their starting rotation. After the holiday, Pittsburgh did that in a creative and unexpected way, inking 42-year-old left-hander Rich Hill to a one-year, $8 million contract.
The deal is pending a physical, a source confirmed to the Post-Gazette, and thus has not been announced. Until that time, though, and even after it, there's plenty to dissect when it comes to how the signing may impact the Pirates and what the thinking could be here.
Hill made 26 starts for the Red Sox last season, going 8-7 with a 4.27 ERA in 124 1/3 innings. In addition to producing a 3.92 FIP, Hill walked 37 and and struck out 109. He pitched for the Rays and Mets in 2021, appearing in 32 games and making 31 starts.
