Tim Hill is returning to the New York Yankees after agreeing to a new contract, as multiple reports confirmed on Tuesday. His deal spans one year at $2.85 million, with a club option for the 2026 season valued at $3 million.
If the Yankees choose not to exercise that option, Hill will receive a $350,000 buyout, according to information shared by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Prior to securing Hill, New York lacked a projected left-handed reliever in its bullpen, as there were no southpaws listed on the 40-man roster.
Yankees Reshape their Bullpen
Hill will now be part of a reshaped group of relievers, featuring trade acquisition Devin Williams alongside Luke Weaver, Ian Hamilton, Fernando Cruz—another trade pickup—Mark Leiter Jr., and JT Brubaker.
Jonathan Loaisiga, who underwent a UCL procedure last April, is anticipated to return later in the season, though he may begin the year on the 60-day injured list. At 34 years old, Hill emerged as an unexpected key contributor to the Yankees’ bullpen in 2024.
The veteran left-hander, known for inducing ground balls, spent six seasons with the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres before starting last year with the struggling Chicago White Sox. His time in Chicago was short-lived, as he was designated for assignment and released in June following a 5.87 ERA over 27 outings.
Just a week later, Hill signed a one-year deal with New York and quickly established himself as one of the most dependable left-handed relievers in baseball. Across 35 regular-season appearances, he delivered a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings.
His impact carried into the postseason, where he took the mound in 10 of the Yankees’ 14 playoff games, surrendering only one earned run across 8.1 innings.
Hill’s Strengths and Limitations
Hill’s signature sidearm delivery and 89 mph fastball contributed to his effectiveness, allowing him to generate the highest ground ball rate (68.2 percent) among all major league relievers.
While his strikeout rate was the lowest (10.7 percent), he excelled at limiting hard contact, ranking second in MLB with a 1.4 percent barrel rate. Given his pitching style, which prioritizes weak contact over swings and misses, Hill allowed a considerable number of hits throughout the 2024 season.
Opponents hit .290 against him, averaging 10.3 hits per nine innings. Most of those hits, however, were singles. Over 291 batters faced, he surrendered just nine extra-base hits—seven doubles and two home runs.
Though slightly more effective against left-handed batters, he managed to neutralize hitters from both sides. Lefties posted a .273/.321/.322 slash line against him, while right-handed hitters put up a .303/.352/.352 line.
His ability to induce ground balls and limit free passes also played a role in forcing eight double plays—only 11 relievers recorded more, and five of them logged more innings.
