While the Los Angeles Dodgers face some uncertainty in the starting rotation due to Clayton Kershaw’s shoulder inflammation and Walker Buehler being slow-played because of workload concerns, veteran Rich Hill has done his part in easing some of those concerns.
The 39-year-old has thrived in four Spring Training starts to date, going 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11 strikeouts over 11 innings of work.
Those numbers mark a significant improvement when compared to past Spring Trainings for Hill, who has historically struggled during exhibition play over the course of his 14-year career.
Because of how well he’s fared to this point, Hill believes he is in a favorable spot heading into the start of the 2019 season, via Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times:
“It’s been much, much better than spring trainings before,” Hill said. “So I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Hill credits his offseason throwing program for the success he’s enjoyed in Cactus League play this year. He began preparing well before the start of Spring Training to maintain a better baseline of strength for the 2019 season.
With the start of the regular season now less than two weeks away, Hill has begun ramping up his workload, recently logging five innings pitched in a Minor League start for the first time this spring.
He went 4.2 innings in Sunday’s start against the Chicago White Sox, yielding three runs while additionally collecting four strikeouts.
Hill has emerged as possible candidate to start on Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks should Kershaw or Buehler be unavailable to take the mound.
