Dodgers News: Rich Hill Undergoes Surgery, Will Not Be Ready for Opening Day
Current free agent and Dodgers fan favorite Rich Hill will not be ready for the start of the season, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.
Hill underwent primary revision surgery, an alternative to Tommy John surgery that will allow him to return in the middle of the summer instead of being potentially career-ending. Simply put, D Mountain does not have the time left at age 39 to be able to wait out the Tommy John recovery period.
Hill pitched through a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) for the majority of the 2019 season. Hill enters free agency this offseason after signing a three-year, $48 million deal with the Dodgers following the 2016 season.
It shows what Rich Hill is all about and why his teammates love and respect him. Hill pitched with a detached UCL in his left arm the final month of the season. He had a procedure to reattach it and plans to begin throwing in January and will be ready to pitch for a team in June.
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) November 25, 2019
Dick Mountain has been very vocal about his desire to continue to defy the odds of age and do so with the Dodgers. There has been some additional speculation surrounding Hill about potentially returning to the Boston Red Sox considering his roots there.
Despite his age, Hill has been excellent for the Dodgers when he has been on the field. He posted a 3.16 ERA in 68 starts for the club across three and a half seasons and a 2.45 ERA in 2019 alone. He still has a lot left in the tank due to the low mileage on his arm.
While fans want to see Hill return, it’s been noted that a Boston move might be the best for him, personally. Still, if the Dodgers could grab Rich Hill on the cheap this off-season, he could be an explosive addition down the stretch and in the playoffs in 2020. And chances are that he’ll come on the cheap.
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No! Shocker!! Hill on the DL? What’s next, water is wet? Hurry, let’s re-sign him.
What a surprise. This will be Friedman’s big offseason splash too
Troll
Dodgers find another injured pitcher to sign. Say NO to Hill.
I thought it was another blister! Rich Hill is the closest thing to Chad Billingsly, who was always injured and the Dodgers paid him for years. Time to move on!
There is so much to pick on in this article. A fan favorite? I doubt it but do a poll, I think you’ll find out differently. While his ERA may have been good, he only pitched in 359 innings in the 3+ years he was (yes I’m using WAS) in LA, that pencils out to 103 innings per year. In addition, I’d bet he spent more time in the DL/IL as he did on the active roster. He’d be an”explosive addition down the stretch and in the playoffs.” Really? He’d be coming off about 9 months of not facing ML hitters. The only “explosive” contribution I see is coming off the hitter’s bats. No, let the Red Sox take a flyer on blister (knee and now elbow) boy and let the kids do what you drafted them to do.
YES
It does not sound as if Hill is planning on coming back here……..
“Hill said based on his agent’s conversations at the recent GM Meetings 10 teams have some interest in signing him”