July 22, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, United States; The launcher from Kansas City Royals, Rich Hill (35), offers land against the Chicago Cubs during the first round at Wrigley Field. Compulsory credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn images The Rich Hill of Kansas City continues to prove why it is an ageless wonder on the mound.
Perhaps just as impressive, the 45-year-old hill has never suffered a losing decision against the Braves of Atlanta.
Hill is trying to rely on a solid start in 2025 with his latest club and help the booming Royals try to give the brave to visit a sixth consecutive defeat on Monday evening.
About twenty years after the left-hander made his debut in the major league with the Cubs of Chicago in Wrigley Field in June 2005, Hill (0-1, 1.80 ERA) was back on this same mound, launching for his 14th team after having signed a minor league contract with Kansas City in May.
While becoming the oldest player to appear in a match for the Royals, Hill granted three points (a deserved) plus six strokes with two balls on the stick with a five-round of the 6-0 defeat of Tuesday against the Cubs.
“It is easy to say that you like (playing in the majors), but when you know that you have more to give, it is difficult to leave,” said Hill, who made his first departure since September 2023, at MLB.com.
“It was really the great thing this season: knowing that there was something left and knowing that I could contribute to a ball club,” said Hill.
With recent injuries to Michael Lorenzen (oblique) and All-Star Kris Bubic (placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday with a left rotator stem), Hill has a stain, temporarily, in the rotation of the Royals.
Kansas City took two of the three of the Chicago and Cleveland Cubs in a consecutive series and has a 13-8 file in July after 8-18 months of June. Hill has not faced the brave since 2022, while he was pitting for Boston, but is 5-0 with an MPM of 2.63 in 54 2/3 heats on 11 career games (nine departures) against them.
Atlanta pitching staff injuries obviously contributed to a dismal season to 16 games in less than 0,500. Currently, the five members of the rotation of the Brave opening day are on the injured list, and they were exceeded 40-12 during their skipping of five games.
“We just have to find a way and continue,” said Atlanta manager Brian Snitker after the 7-1 Sunday defeat against Texas. “The game is not going to stop because we have lost our rotation. We are going to mix and match and reconstruct this thing and from there.”
The starter of the Atlanta Strider planned (4-8, 3.72) granted three points in three of his last four departures. Last Wednesday, he abandoned two circuits while giving three other strokes and three walks while withdrawing seven in five rounds of home defeat 9-3 of the Braves against San Francisco.
“It seems that we have had a million opportunities to make adjustments, to head to we believe that we are capable – no one more than me – and simply could not do it,” said Strider. “It’s embarrassing, honestly.”
It will be the first appearance of the right-hander against the Royals and their All-Star Maikel Garcia, who succeeded during the victory of Sunday 4-1 against the guards. He beats .364 with two circuits and four points produced in the last six games.
Meanwhile, the shot referred to Marcell Ozuna, perhaps in her last days as courageous with the deadline for trade, is 0 for 10 with five sticks in the stick in her last five games. It is also 1 for 7 against Hill.
The teammate Michael Harris II has a safe blow in two career strikes against Hill, and the central defender is 11 for 19 with two circuits, two doubles and two triples in the last five competitions.
– field level media
People complaining about his age are missing point entirely. Guy loves the game and can still get outs at highest level. Who cares if hes 45? If he wasnt effective he wouldnt be on roster simple as that.
Yeah “brave” is definitely the word I’d use for a guy making league minimum at 45 taking roster spot from younger pitcher who actually has future. Very brave of him to cash those checks.
For context, Rich Hill’s father Lloyd Hill pitched in MLB from 1969-1971, primarily with the Cardinals. Lloyd’s career ended at age 28 due to arm injuries. Rich has now pitched professionally for over two decades across multiple organizations. The key differance is access to advanced biomechanics analysis, Tommy John surgery improvements, and year-round conditioning programs that simply didnt exist in the 1970s.
Oh sure, beating his father’s time is such an achievement when you’ve had 3 Tommy John surgeries and spent half your career on the IL. Really inspirational stuff there.
The real story hear is how the Royals keep finding these older pitchers and squeeze production out of them. Their pitching development and analytics department deserves alot of credit. Hill isnt throwing hard but he’s locating well and the team clearly has good plan for using him in right situations.
This is just incredable! Rich Hill stil pitching at 45 while his dad had to stop earlier. Really shows that modern training methods and sports medicine are make such huge difference now days. Props to Hill for taking care of his body all these years!!
At this rate Hill gonna be pitching when hes 60 lol. Imagine him out their with a walker on the mound throwing 72 mph fastballs and the announcers still talking about his “crafty veteran presense” 😂
Wow 45 years old amazing so brave much inspiraton. Next we’ll be celebrating guys for just showing up to spring training. Participation trophies for everyone!!
People keep saying its about modern medicine but thats only part of story. What about genetics? What about the fact pitchers throw way less innings now? His dad was probably getting overworked like crazy back then. You cant just compare eras like their the same thing, the whole game structure is completely different now!
I dont get why everyone making big deal out of this. His velocity is way down and hes basically throwing junk pitches now. The fact that he even still have roster spot is more about team being desperate than him being actually good anymore.