While the Los Angeles Dodgers presumably have the bulk of their focus on re-signing Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner, the club must also address their starting rotation. Namely, in deciding on a course of action with Rich Hill, who is also a free agent.
Los Angeles acquired Hill, along with Josh Reddick, from the Oakland Athletics in a five-player trade prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline. Meaning, unlike with Jansen and Turner, the Dodgers were unable to extend a qualifying offer to the veteran left-hander.
In a market shallow on quality starting pitchers, Hill resides as one of the top options available. Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi identified the 36-year-old as priority for the Dodgers this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Jim Bowden, the Dodgers are among four teams who remain in strong pursuit of Hill:
Rich Hill has four teams that are all “in” full pursuit of him and they are the Yankees, Dodgers, Rangers and Astros. It is believed that the Red Sox and Orioles are the two other teams that are in the mix to a lesser degree.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this month he intended to reach out to Hill’s and Jansen’s representatives. There’s some belief Hill, a Boston native, would prefer a return to the East Coast.
While it would be poor judgment and bad form to state otherwise, Hill did express a strong desire to re-sign with the Dodgers.
Hill was on the 15-day disabled list at the time of being traded to the Dodgers but had pitched as well as anyone through the first half of the season. He made his Dodgers debut three weeks after the deal, and largely didn’t disappoint.
He went 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts during the unofficial second half of the season, and overall finished 12-5 with a 2.12 ERA, 2.39 FIP and 0.99 WHIP in 20 starts. Hill made three postseason starts, going 1-1 with a combined 3.46 ERA.
His best outing came in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series when Hill had six strikeouts, issued two walks and limited the Chicago Cubs to just a pair of hits over six innings.
The Dodgers reportedly had interest in re-signing Hill to a multiyear contract prior to free agency beginning.
A bidding war may prevent that as Hill will turn 37 years old in March, and the Dodgers have yet to commit to a player in his late-30s on a multiyear deal under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
