Rich Hill isn’t ready to retire just yet.
The 45-year-old left-handed pitcher has signed a minor league deal with the Royals, as announced by the team on Tuesday.
He’s set to join Triple-A Omaha after arriving at Kansas City’s spring training camp in Florida.
Hill made a comeback to professional baseball in 2024 following a brief spell with the Red Sox, where he logged three innings over four appearances, sporting a 4.91 ERA.
If he makes it to the majors this season, Hill will be the oldest player in the league—a title he has held in the past two seasons.
He aims to continue his uniquely winding MLB journey.
Drafted in 2002 and making his debut with the Cubs in 2005, Hill had a challenging first decade—struggling to find his footing while switching between six different organizations.
At 35, he signed with the Red Sox again and turned four solid starts into a contract with the A’s, which really revitalized his career.
Between 2016 and 2021, Hill enjoyed one of the most successful stretches of his career, posting a 3.22 ERA over 48 starts when he was healthy.
Overall, in 386 career games, Hill has achieved a record of 90-74 with a 4.01 ERA and 1,428 strikeouts.
If he plays for the Royals this year, he’ll have appeared for the 14th major league team, surpassing Edwin Jackson’s record.
