The Yankees find themselves needing to revamp their bullpen following the end of the 2024 season. With the departures of key contributors Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle, general manager Brian Cashman is searching for new bullpen talent at a more budget-friendly price. One arm that stands out as a potential fit is lefty Tim Hill, who impressed during his stint with the Yankees.
Tim Hill’s Impactful 2024 Season
Hill emerged as one of the Yankees’ underrated playoff heroes in October. The 34-year-old pitcher split the regular season between the Yankees and the Chicago White Sox, tossing a total of 67 innings. With the Yankees, Hill posted a stellar 2.05 ERA over 44 innings. While his strikeout rate dipped significantly to just 3.68 per nine innings, his effectiveness came from his ability to strand runners (76.4% left-on-base rate) and induce ground balls (69.9% ground ball rate).
A Specialist with a Unique Skill Set
Hill is not known for overpowering hitters with strikeouts; instead, he excels at producing weak contact. In fact, he ranked in the 100th percentile for barrel rate, allowing only 1.7% barrels, and also led in ground ball rate at 68.1%. Though he may not generate many swings and misses, his ability to neutralize left-handed batters makes him a valuable asset. Given his age and potential to return on a budget-friendly deal, Hill can be a crucial situational arm for the Yankees.
Performance Against Left-Handed Batters
In 2024, Hill allowed a .273 batting average against lefties but limited them to a .322 slugging rate and a .287 weighted on-base average. He did not surrender a single home run to left-handed hitters and conceded only seven earned runs over 30.1 innings. Despite allowing some contact, Hill’s results against lefties were impressive.
Postseason Success
Hill’s postseason performance further highlighted his value. He pitched 8.1 innings with a 1.08 ERA, shutting down some of the league’s best hitters. His usage, or lack thereof, in critical moments became a talking point, especially after manager Aaron Boone opted to use Nestor Cortes instead of Hill in a key World Series Game 1 situation—a decision that ultimately led to a Yankees loss in walk-off fashion.
Cost-Effective Value for the Yankees
Hill’s effectiveness against left-handed hitters and his ability to induce weak contact at a low cost makes him a strong candidate for the Yankees to retain. However, Cashman is expected to remain active in the market to bolster the bullpen, particularly to replace the production lost with Holmes and Kahnle’s exits.
While Tim Hill can provide stability as a situational lefty, the Yankees will need additional arms to ensure a well-rounded bullpen capable of carrying them deep into next season.