Rich Hill
Richard Joseph Hill, nicknamed "Dick Mountain", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and Kansas City Royals. He is tied with Edwin Jackson for the MLB record by playing for fourteen teams. He has played during each MLB season from 2005 through 2025, and he was the oldest active MLB player in 2024 and 2025.
Hill played college baseball for the Michigan Wolverines. He was chosen three times in the MLB draft, in 1999, 2001, and 2002, before signing with the Cubs. He has earned both American League and National League Pitcher of the Month honors. Hill is the only pitcher in MLB history with a perfect game broken up by a ninth-inning fielding error and with a no-hitter broken up in extra innings by a walk-off home run, both of which occurred in the same game in 2017.
Early life
Hill was born and raised in Milton, Massachusetts. Hill is naturally right-handed but became a left-handed pitcher thanks to his older brother, John. Hill played for Milton High School's varsity baseball team as a freshman. He is one of four players to do so in the school's history. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 36th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft but opted to play college baseball for the Michigan Wolverines.As a freshman, he struggled with a 9.23 earned run average in 13 games, but he became a full-time member starter as a sophomore, posting a record of 3–5 with a 3.84 ERA in 15 games, including one complete game shutout. In 2000 and 2001, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
He was drafted again in the seventh round of the 2001 MLB draft by the Anaheim Angels but decided to return to the Wolverines. In his junior season at Michigan in 2002, he was 3–7 with a 3.55 ERA in 15 games, including eight complete games and two shutouts, and striking out 104 while walking only 38.
Professional career
Chicago Cubs
2002–2004: Drafted and minor leagues
Hill was selected in the fourth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs and signed on July 10, 2002, receiving a $302,000 signing bonus. He had been rated as having one of the best curveballs in the draft but mechanical and control issues kept him out of the early rounds. He began his professional career with the Boise Hawks of the Northwest League, where he was 0–2 with an 8.36 ERA in six games. In 2003 with Boise, he was 1–6 with a 4.35 ERA in 14 starts and led the league in strikeouts with 99. He was promoted to the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League, where he was 0–1 with a 2.76 ERA in 15 games.In 2004, he was promoted again to the Daytona Cubs of the Florida State League. He was 7–6 with a 4.03 ERA in 28 games, 19 starts, with 136 strikeouts. Baseball America said Hill had the best curveball in the Cubs organization.
2005 season: MLB debut
Hill began the 2005 season with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League. He made 10 starts in Double-A, with a 4–3 record and 3.28 ERA with 90 strikeouts. He earned a May promotion to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League. In 11 games for Iowa, he was 6–1 with a 3.60 ERA and 92 strikeouts. He earned Milb.com distinctions as breakthrough performer of the year.Hill made his major league debut on June 15, 2005, against the Florida Marlins. He pitched one inning of relief, giving up two runs on three hits, and did not factor into the decision. He struck out Carlos Delgado for his first major league strikeout.
Hill's first start was on July 25, 2005, subbing for the oft-injured Kerry Wood against the San Francisco Giants. Once again he gave up two earned runs, but lasted five innings. The game was memorable due to Hill tripping over third-base on his way to the plate after a Todd Walker drive down the right-field line. With just one out and the score tied, Walker was forced to stop at first base, and Jerry Hairston Jr. at second. Hill did not score, and returned to third base unhurt. He did not factor into the decision, a Cubs' victory. He finished the season with an 0–2 record in 10 games while making four starts. His ERA was 9.13 and he struck out 21 while walking 17.
2006 season
Hill started the 2006 season in Triple-A but was called up on May 4 to start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He gained attention in Chicago later in the month during the cross-town classic with the Chicago White Sox. On May 20, Hill lost to the White Sox 7–0, and was the starter in the game that saw A. J. Pierzynski run over Cubs catcher Michael Barrett at the plate in a huge collision. Hill was sent back to Triple-A Iowa the next day. He made 15 starts for Iowa and was 7–1 with a 1.98 ERA and 135 strikeouts. He was selected to the mid-season Pacific Coast League all-star game, where he was the top star, and he was later selected as a postseason all-star and Baseball America Triple-A All-Star.Hill returned to the majors on July 27 with a start against the St. Louis Cardinals. He lasted only innings, giving up four runs on six hits and walking three. On August 1, he defeated the Diamondbacks for his first major league victory, and on August 6, he got his second win and his first win streak. On September 6, Hill fanned 11 batters in a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hill's first complete game and shutout came against the Cincinnati Reds on September 16, in which he fanned 10 and allowed just two hits. Hill threw the only two complete games by a Cubs pitcher in 2006. He was a solid contributor in the rotation after being called back up, posting a 6–3 record with a 2.93 ERA in the final two months of the season.
2007 season
Hill was the fourth starter in the Cubs' Opening Day rotation, following Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Jason Marquis. He pitched against the Milwaukee Brewers for his first start of the 2007 season, throwing a perfect game through the first five innings, finishing with allowing one run and one hit over 7 innings pitched. He continued to excel during April, leading some to speculate that he would become the ace in the Cubs rotation as he pitched 18 consecutive innings without an earned run.Cubs catcher Michael Barrett described Hill's signature pitch as follows:
Hill suffered a setback in Philadelphia, where he took his second loss of the season, giving up five runs and leaving the game before getting any outs in the sixth inning. His next start, in New York City, produced similar results and was his third loss. Cubs' manager Lou Piniella pointed to control problems. The troubles continued in San Diego during his next start, where he picked up his third consecutive loss, giving up four home runs to the Padres in a 5–1 loss. Piniella extended his analysis of Hill's throwing: "Not the same pitcher that left spring training. He was missing his spots. Some of those pitches that were hit out of the park, the catcher was sitting on the outside corner and the balls are inside, but they might have been outside. He's got to keep working. He's not throwing as hard, either, for whatever reason."
Hill rebounded in his next three starts, going 21 innings and giving up only two earned runs. Hill had 11 strikeouts against the Braves on June 7. For the season he was 11–8 with a 3.92 ERA in 32 starts with 183 strikeouts.
Hill started game 3 of the 2007 National League Division Series against the Diamondbacks. Outfielder Chris Young homered off the first pitch of the game and Hill only lasted three innings, allowing six hits and three runs as the Cubs were swept in the series.
2008 season
Hill reworked his delivery during spring training after some initial issues with his command but remained a starter as the 2008 season began. He struggled from the outset, making five starts with a 1–0 record and 4.12 ERA, striking out 15 but also walking 18. In his final start, against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 2, he walked four of the first six batters he faced and was removed in the first inning. On May 3, he was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa to improve his control.Hill continued to have control problems in the minors and was placed on disabled list with a back strain on May 17. He suffered from various muscle strains the rest of the season, making only 13 starts in the minors for Iowa, Daytona, and the Arizona League Cubs. He was 4–7 with a 5.85 ERA and 44 walks in innings the minors in 2008. He played for the Tigres de Aragua of the Venezuelan Winter League after the season and was 1–2 with a 6.86 ERA in 21 innings, walking 23 while striking out 16.
Baltimore Orioles
On February 2, 2009, Hill was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named later, which later converted to cash considerations.Hill suffered an elbow injury in spring training and began the season on the disabled list. He made his Orioles debut on May 16, going innings with six strikeouts and earning a win. He started 13 games for Baltimore with a 3–3 record, a 7.80 ERA, and 46 strikeouts in innings. On July 29, it was revealed that Hill had a torn labrum in his left shoulder and had been pitching through it all season. He was placed on the disabled list for the rest of the season and underwent surgery to repair the labrum on August 8. Hill was outrighted off the 40-man roster on October 30 and elected free agency on November 3.
St. Louis Cardinals
On January 26, 2010, Hill signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals with an invitation to spring training. General manager John Mozeliak said that Hill had recovered from his surgery and was expected to compete for the fifth starter job. Hill struggled in spring training, which was frustrating for him. He was beaten out by Jaime García in the battle for a spot in the rotation.Hill was assigned to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, where he had a 4–3 record in 23 games with a 4.30 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 46 innings. He only made four starts, and was instead used primarily out of the bullpen for the first time in his career. On June 30, he opted out of his contract with St. Louis and became a free agent.