Angels News: Halos Starting Pitching Target Signs With Pirates

He was one of the starters the Angels have been linked to this offseason.

Another starting pitcher is off the free agency board, as LHP Rich Hill signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Passan was first to report on the agreement on Tuesday.

Left-hander Rich Hill and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a one-year, $8 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Hill, who turns 43 in March, is entering his 19th big league season after making 26 starts and throwing 124.1 innings for Boston this year.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 27, 2022

Hill, who turns 43-years-old in March, was one of the starting pitchers linked to the Angels this offseason. Last year, he had a 4.27 ERA in 124.1 innings pitched. In 2021, he had an even better 3.86 ERA in an impressive 158.2 innings.

The Pirates will be Hill's 12th team over the course of his now 19-year career. Hill actually played in two games with the Angels in 2014, allowing an earned run, three walks and not even recording an out. So, his career ERA with the Angels will stay at infinity for the time being.

As for the Angels, they'll now have to look elsewhere to fill their sixth and final starting pitcher spot. They've been linked to All-Star RHP Nathan Eovaldi, and two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, among others. Starting pitcher remains one of the biggest needs on this team, and something that general manager Perry Minasian still wants to fill.

Hill wouldn't have been the best fit with the Halos, as they already have four lefties in their rotation. Eovaldi and Kluber are both right-handed, and Eovaldi is still just 32-years-old (Kluber is 36). They would make a lot more sense for the Angels next season.