Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (54) pitches in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
And the first left reliever joins the New York Yankees’ 2025 bullpen! It only took three months for Brian Cashman and the front office to come to their senses and make a totally reasonable, cost-effective decision to fill the void.
On Tuesday, the Yankees reportedly brought back Tim Hill on a one-year, $2.85 million contract with a $3 million club option for the 2026 season. Again … why did this take so long, especially with so few desirable lefties available in free agency?
Everyone knows the Yankees are working as hard as they can to remain below the $301 million Steve Cohen Luxury Tax threshold, but $2.85 million for Hill was never going to drastically impact that endeavor. Maybe they were shopping around for someone cheaper? But how much cheaper could you go? And can you really put a price on familiarity, with a guy who succeeded in 2024 after coming back from the dead with the White Sox?
Somehow, this has fans excited, when in reality this should have been a run-of-the-mill deal completed two and a half months ago that had us going, “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
But with the way this sluggish offseason has gone, Yankees fans are showing positive emotions over a 34-year-old relief pitcher with a career 3.99 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.
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 News: Tim Hill finally signed to one-year contract for 2025 season
Things started to get real dicey on Tuesday, too, after the Twins signed lefty reliever Danny Coloumbe following back-to-back impressive seasons with the Baltimore Orioles in 2023 and 2024. How many more cheap, desirable targets were going to fly off the board before the Yankees struck?
Maybe his one-year, $3 million contract paved the way for the agreement with Hill. Who knows? But Hill’s sidewinding act is back in the Bronx, where he pitched to a 2.05 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 3.62 FIP in 44 innings. He was also great in the postseason, logging 8 1/3 innings, allowing just one earned run on seven hits and two walks.
Though Hill doesn’t generate much swing-and-miss, the Yankees’ improved defense should help the fact that he pitches to contact. If he was that effective in 2024 pitching in front of one of the league’s worst defenses, he should be even better in 2025.
The Yankees ended up avoiding disaster, as the Mets and Dodgers entered the fray with Hill, which made fans nervous because of how many players were defecting to LA and Queens. But Hill is back and the bullpen picture is looking as clear as ever with spring training starting in a little over a week.