New York Yankees Sign Intriguing Lefty Reliever to Help Banged up Bullpen

The New York Yankees have made a move to help their ailing bullpen.

May 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Tim Hill (54) pitches in the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees' bullpen has not only been hit hard by the injury bug as of late, but throughout the entirety of the 2024 season as well.

As a result, the team made a move by signing veteran left-handed reliever Tim Hill to an MLB contract and added him to the active roster, according to ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan.

Fellow lefty Clayton Andrews, who was called up earlier in the week, was designated for assignment so the Yankees could clear room on their 40-man roster for Hill.

Hill had an abysmal 5.87 ERA in 27 appearances for the lowly Chicago White Sox this season before the club designated the southpaw for assignment last week. However, the 34-year-old posted an ERA of 3.65 or lower in three out of four seasons from 2019-2022. He did have a rough year (5.48 ERA) for the San Diego Padres in 2023, which was his final campaign with the club across a three-season stint.

The Yankees also have an impressive track record of acquiring struggling relievers and unlocking their potential. Look back as far as the 2021 trade deadline when GM Brian Cashman landed now closer Clay Holmes from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team has gotten more than solid production from Ian Hamilton (2.64 ERA in 2023), Luke Weaver (2.68 ERA in 2024) and Michael Tonkin (2.23 ERA in 2024), despite this trio's woes they endured with other teams in the past.

New York lost Hamilton to the 15-day IL with a right lat strain on June 17, and he will be out for the foreseeable future. Setup man Jonathan Loaisiga underwent Tommy John surgery at the beginning of the season. The bullpen has become rather thin.

The trade deadline is approaching at the end of next month, and the Yankees are certain to prioritize relief help. But It's too early on the baseball calendar for significant trades to come to fruition. So the Yankees had to make an interim move and that was bringing in Hill to see if they can help him recapture some of the success he had in recent years.