As a 40-year-old, Rich Hill made eight starts for the Twins in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, posting a solid 3.03 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and 31 strikeouts across 38 ⅔ innings. Minnesota was the ninth organization Hill, now 45, joined.
Former Twins pitcher Rich Hill makes history as he is slated to make the start on the mound for the Royals on Tuesday
The Kansas City Royals promoted Hill after he posted a 5.22 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 50 innings in Triple-A this season. Hill, who signed a minor league contract with Kansas City in May, will make the start on the mound for the Royals against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. Lefty Matthew Boyd is expected to make the start for Chicago.
When Hill pitches on Tuesday, he will make history by tying Edwin Jackson’s MLB record by playing for his 14th career team. He will also become the oldest player in the league and the oldest player in Royals history.
Hill made his MLB debut on June 15, 2005, as a member of the Cubs against the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field. Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is an MVP candidate this year, was just two years old when Hill made his first career MLB start.
After making the majors as a member of the Cubs in 2005, Hill became a Baltimore Oriole in 2009. He then went on to play for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and, of course, the Minnesota Twins. In 20 career Major League Baseball seasons, Hill has a 4.01 ERA with 1428 strikeouts in 1409 innings.
Twins set to play Game 2 of series against Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 2 of the series between Minnesota and Los Angeles is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The probable starting pitchers are the Twins’ Simeon Woods Richardson and the Dodgers’ Yashinobu Yamamoto.