Inside The Pinstripes

Report: Yankees, High-Leverage Reliever Interested in Reuniting

The New York Yankees and one of their top relievers from 2024 reportedly have mutual interest in a reunion.

John Sparaco

Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (54) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning for game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (54) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning for game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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One of the New York Yankees’ shrewdest midseason moves in 2024 was signing left-handed reliever Tim Hill, who was released by the Chicago White Sox in June. Now, a reunion could be in the works.

Prior to his release, Hill posted a 5.87 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 23 innings with the White Sox. After joining the Yankees, he thrived, finishing with a stellar 2.05 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over his next 44 appearances. Hill is currently a free agent.

On Wednesday, Gary Phillips of The New York Daily News reported that Hill and the Yankees have "mutual interest" in a reunion.

Hill, 34, is known for inducing weak contact. His submarine-style arm slot, paired with a high-movement sinker, makes him particularly tough on left-handed hitters and results in a high rate of ground balls. He did not allow a single home run to a lefty in 2024.

In New York, Hill posted a 69.9% ground ball rate and stranded 76.4% of runners during the regular season. His 1.7% barrel rate ranked in the 100th percentile, according to Statcast, and his grounder rate was the highest in the league.

While his strikeout rate dipped to just 3.7 K/9 with the Yankees, the biggest change in his performance came from batted-ball luck. With the White Sox, Hill allowed an unlucky .436 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), a number that dropped to .248 after joining the Yankees.

Hill also proved to be a high-leverage weapon in the postseason, producing a 1.08 ERA in 8.1 innings. In Game 5 of the ALCS, he helped the Yankees escape a sixth-inning jam by inducing a crucial double play to keep the score tied. New York ended up winning that game to advance to the World Series.

However, in a pivotal moment during Game 1 of the World Series, manager Aaron Boone chose lefty Nestor Cortes Jr. over Hill, a decision that led to a walk-off loss.

Along with Hill, right-handers Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle are free agents, leaving a few spots to fill in the back end of New York’s bullpen. The trio combined for 29 of the Yankees’ 60.2 relief innings in October. Currently, the only other left-handed reliever on the Yankees' 40-man roster is Tim Mayza.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported during last week’s GM Meetings that the Yankees have been among the most aggressive teams in talks with free-agent relievers. Hill, who signed for under $2 million on each of his last two contracts, would likely be an affordable option for the Yankees to retain.

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John Sparaco
JOHN SPARACO

John Sparaco is a contributing writer for the Yankees and Mets websites On SI. He has previously written for Cold Front Report, Times Union and JKR Baseball, where he profiled some of the top recruits, college players and draft prospects in baseball. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JohnSparaco

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